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THURSDAY

In the early- to mid-’80s, it seemed as if every rap group had three things: an MC, a DJ, and a human beatbox. Even crossover master Will Smith had turntable wizard Jazzy Jeff and the vocally gifted Ready Rock C to back him up. While Jazzy Jeff is remembered among underground heads as the man who popularized the transformer scratch, and Smith has gone on to pop success, Ready Rock C has already been forgotten. Such is the way of the human beatbox. But the success of the Roots’ human beatboxes, Rahzel and Scratch, has helped rekindle some interest in the art. Joey Garfield’s documentary Breath Control: A History of the Human Beatbox traces the phenomenon’s history, using commentary from hiphop luminaries and footage of artists like Rahzel, Scratch, and Doug E. Fresh. It’s an eye-opener for cats who think beatboxing began and ended with the Fat Boys. Excerpts will be screened today in conjunction with a panel discussion on hiphop’s legacy at 1 p.m. at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s Ring Auditorium, 7th and Independence Avenue SW. Free. (202) 833-9800. (Ta-Nehisi Coates)