Napoleon Maddox

Napoleon Maddox is a hip hop vocalist from Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Also known by the stage name NapoleonSolo, he is a proficient rapper, beatboxer, and singer.

Napoleon does workshops, clinics and masterclasses about Hip-hop and Human Beatboxing. His unique approach to teaching Beatboxing includes methods that empower the participants to perform acoustically. He also shares in his session ways to work in ensembles with other beatboxers and musicians. Napoleon's work has been commissioned by universities, festivals and art institutions, which have presented him in several cities in France, England, Serbia, Slovenia and America.

In 2009, Mr. Maddox was also sponsored by the US Embassy in Estonia for a series of workshops and concerts in six Estonian cities for Jazz Month. The work that he prepared with the participants in the workshops was presented in a major concert for the JazzKaar Festival.

Napoleon also leads the live Hip-hop group IsWhat?!  Formed in the fall of 1996, ISWHAT?! has shared bills and/or collaborated with Antibalas, Saul Williams, KRS ONE, The Herbaliser, Tumi & the Volume, Tony Allen, Femi Kuti, Arrested Development, The Roots, Brother Ali, James Blood Ulmer and others. With IsWhat?!, Napoleon has toured the United States and Europe; in 2007 the group performed with Archie Shepp in Italy. Mr. Shepp released the live concert as "Phat Jam", a new project on his label.