New York, New York

Chris Celiz and Gene Shinozaki walked home with more than a trophy, hefty check of $25,000, and a big smile on their faces. They beat out tens of the best acapella groups around the nation in The Open, carrying the pride of the beatbox community on their shoulders.

The global tag-team champions rightfully earned the first-place prize with a whopping 393 points. InToneNation from Georgia and VIBE from Texas came in second and third, with 347 points and 331 points respectively.

SpiderHorse’s outstanding performances were also awarded Outstanding Vocal Percussion and Outstanding Arrangement for their set, which included their famous routines like Full Circle and Hit Me!

“We worked really hard for this and we’ll use this as a springboard to work on bigger and bigger projects,” Chris stated passionately.

“Gene and I are really proud of this, and we’re doing our best to savor the moment, but we’re more excited about what’s in store for us. Breaking into the music industry and making a name for ourselves beyond the beatbox community now feels like more of a reality.”

The duo attributes their success to nothing but hard work. After being tag team partners for so long, they decided to take their skills to the next level by taking voice lessons and working on tightening their routines on a daily basis. Chris traveled with Gene to Europe months prior to the competition to ensure their routines were perfected to the tee.

Their win serves as a landmark moment for the beatbox community, which continues to push the limits of the art form. Similarly, the dynamic French beatbox group, Berywam, wowed the judges on America’s Got Talent.