A feminist beat: Emma Watson beatboxes for gender equality

Los Angeles: Harry Potter star Emma Watson showed off her hip-hop skills in a new viral video by beatboxing as Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda spouted a feminist freestyle rap. The 25-year-old actress and United Nations Women’s Global Goodwill Ambassador interviewed the actor-composer as part of the organisation’s HeForShe Arts Week, which was set up to encourage arts and cultural organisations to get involved in the fight for gender equality, reported Rolling Stone magazine. [caption id=“attachment_2682888” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Emma provided the beats as Lin-Manuel Miranda rapped about gender equality. Screen grab from YouTube[/caption] While the two discussed everything from the importance of female storytellers to the strong women featured in Lin’s Grammy-winning musical, they had a little fun when they were asked to sort America’s founding fathers in to the Hogwarts houses from the Harry Potter films. And the odd couple ended the conversation with the actress asking the freestyle expert to make up a rap on the spot with the theme of gender equality. Lin only agreed to do so if Emma provided the beats,leaving the actress flustered, and saying, “This is going to be so bad. Do I cover my mouth? This is going to be so embarrassing.” After a few hesitant false starts, Watson finally gave him a respectable beat, as Lin rapped, “Yo, it’s Lin and I have to laugh/how can we not be equal, we’re like half/like women are like half of the people on Earth/and yes they should’ve been cut equal since birth. That means equal pay, all day, every way OK/are we really OK? Holy cow this is such a meme/thank you this is the beatbox dream team.” Watson finished with a flushed red face and exclaimed, “I am so embarrassed right now. I’m literally the colour of a tomato. Everyone go see the play and no one ever ask me to beatbox again. These are the lengths I go to for gender equality!” PTI