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When Elaine Lim discovered the world of beatboxing as a teenager in Singapore, she was hooked. She soon became a regular on the male-dominated scene, doing battles and trading sounds with other beatboxers. After school she joined the army to fund her university studies ­– to her family’s delight – but the pressure of trying to be something she wasn’t eventually caught up with her. She tells Mobeen Azhar how she found her way out to pursue her passion and even win over disapproving parents. This story contains a reference to suicide.

In 2018, Dutch rapper Sor and his group, Black Acid, were rising rapidly through the Amsterdam music scene. They seemed poised to hit the big time when Sor was struck down by a mysterious illness, culminating one morning when he woke up without any hearing at all. The road to recovery was long but with the help of technology, as Sor explained to Andile Masuku, he was able to regain some hearing and start making music again. This interview was first broadcast in 2020.

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(Photo: Elaine Lim aka 'General Ling' Credit: Noa Studios)