Wise (Stetsasonic)

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Wise (born Leonardo Roman on August 20, 1965 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico), better known to everyone as WISE, to the members of Stetsasonic the world's first hip-hop "band", he was known as the Stetsa-Human Mix Machine. For those that didn't or don't know, this human percussionist was one of the first latino human beatboxes to hit the Hip Hop scene just as the ART OF NOISE was on the rise. On the very first album, which was called ON FIRE, Wise debuted his Human Turntable techinique style of beatboxing on the bands first single called JUST SAY STET b/w ROCK de la STET, which was released in 1985. There was also another single from the album in which Wise and Daddy-O collaborate. While Daddy-O does the vocals, Wise gives his version of IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT, which happens to be the very first time that a human beatbox was heard adding a songlike rhythm to the beat that was coming out of his mouth. The song is called FAYE. Wise was also featured in a Human Beatbox documentary that was shown at the Tribecca film festival called Breathe Control, which also featured fellow human percussionists such as Doug E. Fresh, Biz Markie, Ready Rock C and Emanon. Wise has also done a few commercials in which he lends his beatbox sounds. One was for Campbell's soup in which a cartoon of a B-boy bear kicks a ferocious beat. This commercial was aired along with the Saurday morning cartoons. Wise and Stet (The shortened name synonymously known for Stetsasonic in the streets of New York, eventually the music industry) has also toured the world with groups like Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Whodini, Eric B. & Rakim, EPMD and Public Enemy. Wise has also participated in the Stop the Violence Movement, in which various hip hop artists are featured, such as KRS-ONE, BDP, Kool Moe Dee, Heavy D, MC Lyte, Public Enemy, and of course, fellow human beatbox artist Doug E. Fresh. The successful unity of artists entitled the song SELF DESTRUCTION. Wise was featured, not as a human percussionist, but a vocalist sending a positive message to all listeners "St..St..St..Straight from the mouth of Wise..."