Impromptu
High schooler faces off against Marine in drum battle that has everyone going wild
A video of their unforgettable drum battle has racked up millions of views online.
Laura Shallcross
06.09.21

We’ve all heard of a rap battle. The majority of viral rap battle videos take place in school grounds or on the streets, and they’re always an entertaining watch.

A rap battle, in case you didn’t know, is exactly how it sounds: two rappers go head-to-head, each retaliating to the other with their own improvised lyrics. Things can get a little rude and offensive, so it’s not for the faint-hearted!

MostNaturalMedia/ YouTube
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MostNaturalMedia/ YouTube

If rap battles aren’t your thing, you might prefer this slightly more toned-down event: the drum battle.

Drum battles aren’t as common a thing as rap battles, but when the San Francisco Marines got involved, they made sure to get people talking about drum battling – at least in their part of town.

Thiago Miranda/ Pexels
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Thiago Miranda/ Pexels

The pre-arranged battle was to take place between Benicia High School and 1st Marine Division Band, and it was set to be a big event that would almost certainly go down in history.

Now, to go up against a 1st Marine Division Band member is a very brave thing to do.

The band currently consists of 50 marine musicians and provides military support for festivals and parades.

Juan Jose Porta/ Unsplash
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Juan Jose Porta/ Unsplash

Over the years, this talented bunch have won numerous prestigious awards for their performances, including the “Colonel George S. Howard Citation of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands” back in 2007.

So imagine being this guy, who somehow found himself about to battle with one of the best band players there is.

San Francisco Marines/ YouTube
Source:
San Francisco Marines/ YouTube

However, we definitely shouldn’t discredit school bands, here. If your own school had a band, you can probably remember some pretty talented kids in there.

Many kids in school bands have been devotedly playing their instruments since they learned to walk. And because, for many students, band practice is something to obsess over and get excited about, they can get to a really high standard, simply from putting in the time and effort.

Katrina Berban/ Unsplash
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Katrina Berban/ Unsplash

The 1st Marine Division Band player kicks things off – and the standard is high.

He’s deft, his fingers moving so quickly that the drumsticks are a blur as he plays a quick, spontaneous rhythm.

San Francisco Marines/ YouTube
Source:
San Francisco Marines/ YouTube

He’s got some tricks up his sleeve, too – he can spin his sticks around his fingers, all without losing timing. If the average person attempted to do that, they’d end up losing half their instrument to gravity.

If the band student is daunted, you certainly wouldn’t know it by his retaliation.

He’s just as fast, and he’s got plenty of his own tricks to share, too. The crowd goes wild – especially the kid in the glasses on the left. Check him out!

San Francisco Marines/ YouTube
Source:
San Francisco Marines/ YouTube

One things for sure: this is a fair battle all round. The Military rep certainly won’t need to dumb down his own performance to save the embarrassment of his opponent, who has proved himself instantly.

The battle continues, until the Military rep brings something new to the table: a fellow band member.

This really amps things up a bit, and the pair each take a drumstick, managing to play in perfect rhythm at the same drumstick-blurring speeds.

San Francisco Marines/ YouTube
Source:
San Francisco Marines/ YouTube

It’s good, and the band student knows he should respond with his own double performance. But it seems he can’t get anyone to join him, so he puts on yet another awesome solo performance again.

No bias, here – it’s actually very hard to decide on a winner between these two.

San Francisco Marines/ YouTube
Source:
San Francisco Marines/ YouTube

It’s unclear whether anyone actually did win. Hopefully they called it a draw, considering the level of talent from both opponents.

Check out the video below and share in the comments who you think deserves to take home the drum battle crown!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

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