Lemur Sounds + Beatboxing = Sick Beats for Conservation | National Geographic

I studied lemurs in the wild in

I studied lemurs in the wild in Madagascar and when I first got there

Madagascar and when I first got there

Madagascar and when I first got there nobody had studied their calls at all

what I’ve been studying him for 30 years

what I’ve been studying him for 30 years so I pretty well got to all the

so I pretty well got to all the

so I pretty well got to all the languages down now

languages down now

languages down now though I knew about Ben that he had been

though I knew about Ben that he had been

though I knew about Ben that he had been working with birdsongs

working with birdsongs

working with birdsongs and that he was incorporating them

and that he was incorporating them

and that he was incorporating them together into new kind of music and I

together into new kind of music and I

together into new kind of music and I thought why is he using Byrd sucks when

thought why is he using Byrd sucks when

thought why is he using Byrd sucks when lemurs have much more interesting song

lemurs have much more interesting song

lemurs have much more interesting song I started playing recording that I was

I started playing recording that I was

I started playing recording that I was just like I had no idea they were so

just like I had no idea they were so

just like I had no idea they were so musical and that their tones could be so

musical and that their tones could be so

musical and that their tones could be so evocative of different situations and an

evocative of different situations and an

evocative of different situations and an emotion some of them have kind of these

emotion some of them have kind of these

emotion some of them have kind of these piggish grunts and he’s like me ain’t

piggish grunts and he’s like me ain’t

piggish grunts and he’s like me ain’t kind of deep things

then they’ll defy your expectations and

then they’ll defy your expectations and have that soaring and recall them and

have that soaring and recall them and

have that soaring and recall them and when they sing together they actually

when they sing together they actually

when they sing together they actually form musical chords so for the purposes

form musical chords so for the purposes

form musical chords so for the purposes of structuring it in music you do get a

of structuring it in music you do get a

of structuring it in music you do get a chance to both pay tribute to the fact

chance to both pay tribute to the fact

chance to both pay tribute to the fact that you’re working with an injury voice

that you’re working with an injury voice

that you’re working with an injury voice but it is also echoing the fundamental

but it is also echoing the fundamental

but it is also echoing the fundamental rules of this human musical system is

rules of this human musical system is

rules of this human musical system is created

what do I hear when I hear Ben’s music I

what do I hear when I hear Ben’s music I spent a lot of time in Brooklyn

spent a lot of time in Brooklyn

spent a lot of time in Brooklyn so here the Brooklyn beat there well

so here the Brooklyn beat there well

so here the Brooklyn beat there well then I spent a lot more time in

then I spent a lot more time in

then I spent a lot more time in rainforests and what he has done to

rainforests and what he has done to

rainforests and what he has done to incorporate the kinds of songs from the

incorporate the kinds of songs from the

incorporate the kinds of songs from the rainforest it’s a real song of life and

rainforest it’s a real song of life and

rainforest it’s a real song of life and it brings joy to my heart I can’t wait

it brings joy to my heart I can’t wait

it brings joy to my heart I can’t wait to actually play some of Ben’s music

to actually play some of Ben’s music

to actually play some of Ben’s music back to those lemurs in the forest I’m

back to those lemurs in the forest I’m

back to those lemurs in the forest I’m just in a totally different headspace

just in a totally different headspace

just in a totally different headspace now having gone through very musical

now having gone through very musical

now having gone through very musical process of accessing this of animals has

process of accessing this of animals has

process of accessing this of animals has inspired me to learn more about them so

inspired me to learn more about them so

inspired me to learn more about them so I’m hoping that by doing this and share

I’m hoping that by doing this and share

I’m hoping that by doing this and share other people that I can share that

other people that I can share that

other people that I can share that inspirational process the inescapable

inspirational process the inescapable

inspirational process the inescapable reality is that lemurs are something

reality is that lemurs are something

reality is that lemurs are something most greatly endangered animals on the

most greatly endangered animals on the

most greatly endangered animals on the planet in some ways it’s it’s wonderful

planet in some ways it’s it’s wonderful

planet in some ways it’s it’s wonderful to be able to preserve things through

to be able to preserve things through

to be able to preserve things through audio but in my mind it’s it’s pointless

audio but in my mind it’s it’s pointless

audio but in my mind it’s it’s pointless if it doesn’t inspire protection of the

if it doesn’t inspire protection of the

if it doesn’t inspire protection of the animal itself you know Madagascar the

animal itself you know Madagascar the

animal itself you know Madagascar the melon geyser people have a lot of

melon geyser people have a lot of

melon geyser people have a lot of challenges because it’s a very poor

challenges because it’s a very poor

challenges because it’s a very poor country but you know life is more than

country but you know life is more than

country but you know life is more than just cash crops and getting funding

just cash crops and getting funding

just cash crops and getting funding there’s also celebrations there’s also

there’s also celebrations there’s also

there’s also celebrations there’s also celebrating who you are being proud of

celebrating who you are being proud of

celebrating who you are being proud of your family being proud of your country

your family being proud of your country

your family being proud of your country being proud of your heritage and lemurs

being proud of your heritage and lemurs

being proud of your heritage and lemurs are partners after them

with this new innovation of bringing the

with this new innovation of bringing the lemurs into the music this will be the

lemurs into the music this will be the

lemurs into the music this will be the glue for the conservation project I

glue for the conservation project I

glue for the conservation project I think it’s gonna be a new conservation

think it’s gonna be a new conservation

think it’s gonna be a new conservation tool

tool

tool [Music]