Rubox Cube

Rubox Cube (aka Scott Pausal) has wowed crowds at venues all over the Orlando area, with his beatbox skills impressing hip-hop aficionados as well as those who are just in awe of the sheer musicality of one man and a microphone, and he’s recently forayed into pure a capella music with Yella!, which oddly enough, also features Jana Banana from WTKS-FM’s ‘The Philips Phile.” Over the weekend, Rubox celebrated his debut CD, The First Layer (on Nonsense Records), with a packed-out party at Sleeping Moon Cafe. The CD is available now.

Just the facts:
When Formed: 2002

Band members names & instruments: Rubox – vocal percussion, vocals, loop pedal, harmonica, keyboard

All available releases: White Noise Beatbox compilation, The First Layer

Website: ruboxthecube.blogspot.com, facebook.com/ruboxcube

Upcoming shows: February 28 – The Social (Orlando aLive)

My sound is: Acappella hiphop funk vocal percussionist with a side of abstract and straight ahead boom bap

Any Big News to Share? I am releasing my first solo beatbox CD on 2/19/10 and also am a member of the Orlando acappella group, Yella!

Check out “The Waterslide Kings Strikes Back,” from Rubox’s new CD, The First Layer:

5 Questions:
1. What has been your most memorable show so far?

My most memorable show I had was asked to perform at Fresh Fest at BB Kings opening for classic hiphop groups Naughty by Nature, EPMD, and Brand Nubians. I was spotted by DJ Caesar of 102 Jamz who asked me at the last minute if I wanted to rock on stage. So I was able to play in front of 300 people to do a little beatbox set. Everyone loved it.

2. Which local band is your favorite one to play a show with?

I would say playing with the Legendary JCs is one of my favorite bands. Eugene Snowden knows how to conduct everything to come together. Nothing like having horn sections jam out over my beatboxing.

3. Which national band would you most like to share a bill with?

I would love to share a bill with acappella group, Take 6. Been a fan of their music for awhile.

4. What description gets used for your band that you would most like to correct people on? Why?

I would say people describe my music as just beatboxing but there are layers to what I do that it goes beyond just beatboxing. I am also a vocalist, a musician in which I use my voice as different instruments, I tell stories using beatbox as a theatre tool to get a message across, and I also play a couple different instruments.

5. What’s your favorite thing about being a musician in Orlando? Least favorite?

My favorite thing about being an Orlando band or artist is the amazing talent in the hiphop community. Least favorite thing is that people on the outside think of Orlando as just a tourist city and people in the city who complain that there is no scene without even checking out what this city has as far as music.

- Orlando Music News

It’s a holistic, well-rounded movement that goes beyond just the MC and the DJ. Just check the beatbox edition of Yes Yes Yall — the roots-minded showcase held by local hip-hop label Nonsense Records — last week at the Social for proof. On its own, this fifth element of hip-hop bloomed with virtuosity. In addition to stunning diaphragm control, the three artists on the bill flaunted astounding innovation and structural detail. Chaz, for example, ripped accurate scratch facsimiles and hit that bass DEEEP, all a cappella. He further went on to accompany himself with live instrumentation such as bass guitar and pan flute (yep, pan flute).

Being in the sole company of other beatboxers musta lit a fire in his ass, because local dynamo Rubox Cube stepped up with guns blazing and performed a wildly kaleidoscopic revue with nothing more than a mouth and a microphone. Beyond stunning vocal replications and sophisticated rhythmic layering, he exhibited a vividly narrative approach. He recreated the turntablist experience with beat-juggling and scratching, paid homage to old-school pioneers of the trade like the Fat Boys and Doug E. Fresh by dropping their trademark styles into his stream, and even acted out a movie montage with Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix and Silence of the Lambs like a hip-hop rendition of Michael Winslow. To crown the set, he validated his nom de guerre by solving a Rubik’s Cube without missing a beat.

-Bao Le Huu
March 21, 2007 - Orlando Weekly

"Too much went down ’round town this week to waste time chatting. So let’s get busy …

The beat

So the latest edition of The Bao Show was fun. Some already know the deal but I’ve never officially explained it. It’s a mostly local music showcase I put together every so often. Face it, suckers, no one has the concert mileage I do in this city, and this concept siphons that to convoke the acts I feel are most worth your attention. They’re eclectic by design; you’ll go to see one of your favorites but you’ll end up exposed to talented exemplars of styles you might not otherwise seek out. Furthermore, it’s a way for local musicians to gain a broader understanding of their community at large.

The latest case in point was the one Copper Rocket asked me to do Aug. 18, which grouped the beatbox virtuosity of Rubox Cube, the burning indie rock of Crash the Satellites, and the pop-savvy incandescence of Mumpsy. Each was chosen for a reason and none disappointed (phew!). Rubox, Nonsense Records’ own resident Rahzel, showcased his seemingly endless bag of vocal gymnastics with a highly narrative routine. From the things I heard flowing from many mouths, it seems he turned a bunch of indie rockers into converts."


-Bao Le Huu
- Orlando Weekly

These days most people have at least some perception of beatboxing, in part "thanks" to this year's Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards host, Justin Timberlake. However, when it comes to making the music with your mouth, there's a lot more sublety, skill and history involved than folks like Mr. Timberlake may let on. It's often something you need to experience first-hand to understand, and Nonsense is offering a chance to see it for yourself.

The White Noise Tour, billed as "Beat Outside the Box," features Orlando beatboxing legends Rubox Cube, Chaz and Dillio, as well as DJ SPS on the turntables. Essentially, it's the outgrowth of Vokushin, a monthly beatboxing showcase here in Orlando hosted by Chaz and Rubox. While the show always revolves around beatboxing, it includes a good deal of experimentation. "We have special guests who are guitarists, acapella groups. We've had poets, we've had emcees, we've had turntablists," said Rubox. That same adventurous spirit can be expected on tour.

Kicking off the affair is the opening date at the Social on Tuesday, April 24th. The crew will then make their way to Jacksonville, Tallahasse and finally Atlanta, before returning home for some well deserved rest.

Whether you've never seen beatboxing firsthand or you're an expert in all the elements of hip-hop, make sure to hit up this upcoming endeavor to support the ever-growing hip-hop community here in Orlando.

-Jack Cusumano
- KillerPop Magazine

I’m not sure what impresses me most about this trio. There’s many things that separate Andromeda from any rap group you’ll ever see. Their unique style combines the old "Rapper + DJ" formula, but in a different way. Andromeda is the only group I know of that will solely showcase the DJ in certain sets. I’m referring to SPS, the resident beatmaker and turntable genius. These cats hold down true hip-hop to the fullest, 100% exhibition. That’s their claim to fame. Lyricist Sinomen spits lyrics that seem like they’re doing death-defying flips from his tongue, skipping over every beat and scratch with a comfortable demeanor. Watching SPS on the tables is like watching a gourmet Chinese meal being prepared by master acrobatic chefs. Next comes Rubox, the Asian beat box machine. C’mon now, you’d never think that Asian kid in the corner would be fearless enough to grab the mic, take the stage, and work the hell out of his voice box while drowning in the cheers from the crowd. These three characters collectively complete the galaxy of Andromeda, and they’re set to take hip-hop farther than it’s ever been. The group has been on the scene for a year now, and recently celebrated the successful release of their first album with a party at The Social. Don’t let the album credits fool you though, Andromeda isn’t signed to a major label and right now aren’t pushing for that at all. Their philosophy is really simple: since their style and delivery is of their own design, they aren’t willing to compromise the art form just to sell records. During the past year, they’ve performed at almost every local artist showcase, all the way from UCF to The Social downtown. They’ve also garnered a small but loyal following. People like to see Andromeda because they are amazed by the performances they deliver. Hip-hop music has undeniably lost most of its true showmanship, and it’s kind of nostalgic to be one of the onlookers watching the trio vibe on stage. They keep the music as real as it once was before. The group was awarded the Best Hip-Hop Group award at the most recent Orlando Music Awards. SPS also took home a win at a recent DJ Tourney in Titusville. Andromeda is serious about taking this rap thing to another level. If these cats pull it off, it would be some ill shit to think that Orlando could be the city to lead the revolution.

-Noel Malcolm
- Orlando Source Magazine

Really loved the Nonsense Records show on Thursday at BackBooth, although I didn't stay to catch headliner X:144 & SPS. Much respect to Rubox Cube, who can be a human beat-box and solve a Rubik's Cube at the same time. I can't do those things separately.

MTD (Mentally Transmitted Disease) again demonstrated the difference between the highly evolved hip-hop on Orlando-based Nonsense and lesser mainstream rap: His rhymes revolved around faith and the questions and doubts that come with it.

MTD was followed by Holly Riggs, whose demonstrative, dramatic stage presence was something between hip-hop, talking blues and folk. She was accompanied by guitarist Justin Beckler, who also worked with singer-songwriter Amy Steinberg on her Must Be The Moon. Beckler recently relocated from Tampa to Orlando and looks to be a promising new fixture on local stages.

There was not the packed crowd at BackBooth that the Social shows have been drawing this week, but the audience was rapt.

There was less elbow room at the Peacock Room, where DJs Jeremy Ellis and John Arnold provided a soundtrack for the dance floor. The mix was sweetened by Ellis' keyboard flourishes, which ranged from jazzy to just strange.

-Jim Abbott - Orlando Sentinel

Speaking of soulfulness, I caught a bracing, homegrown bit of it last week at the Social. Hailing from the local spoken-word scene, Mama A.Free.Ka (née Veronica Smith) deals in poetry-driven conscious rap. With pointed intellect and raw emotion, she took all types of social ills to task with bullwhipping verses. In her commentary on contemporary hip-hop, for example, she coined phrases like “rap(e) music” and “platinum nooses.” No shit, y’all, this chick — er, strong, independent woman — is serious as cancer. She is merciless in her point of view and her words can be so acute that you’ll feel abysmally ashamed of yourself for one thing or another. If you believe that good art’s supposed to challenge you, then look into Mama A.Free.Ka. She’ll slap you around a bit.

Fortunately, the pang of guilt is always fleeting for me, so I was able to dig the moments of unadulterated soul that buttered all that heavy invective. Most of it came from Zulu Nation, her musical accompaniment made up, ironically, of … record scrrra-a-atch!… two Asian dudes. That’s right, sucker, we can bring it too, y’know. This particular duo was comprised of beatboxer/pianist Rubox Cube and saxophonist/beatboxer Basil, whose cool jazz lines smoothed Mama A.Free.Ka’s barbs and slashes. Like the similarly provocative and soulful Sol.illaquists of Sound, this is an act that should be prized in our scene even if it is under the radar for most. These are the artists who pierce the bubble of stasis.

-Bao Le-Hu- - Orlando Weekly