Edwardo James grinned as he walked into Starbucks on a sunny Wednesday afternoon wearing a blue "LA" cap and a white-striped, button-down shirt. From his outward appearance, he is inconspicuous, saved only from infamy by an essential missing prop: his boom box, which normally sits perched on his right shoulder.
"Let's be more futuristic with this thing," James said. "Kind of like Marinetti -- let's fill this with a lot of action and verbs."
James clapped as he sat down, referring to the Italian writer whose futurist ideologies involve the speed and free association of writing.
James' claim to fame at the University is his "Boom Box Guy" persona, the quintessential college student whose free and spirited music has caused many a smile by onlookers. From spring 2002 until now, many students on Grounds may have noticed James and his boom box, a sight as familiar as the tunes he plays. His notably steady list of music ranges from the Beatles to Tupac to Bob Marley.
The fourth-year College student, who calls San Diego home and is of African-American and Mexican descent, said he feels strongly about uniting people under the umbrella of God. He views the melodies blasting from his stereo as just one way he is able to send a message of togetherness.
"I'm submitted to God," James said, who identifies with all religions but most specifically Jesus Christ and the prophet Mohammad. And that might be what James unconsciously searches for -- people of different backgrounds who have the potential to come together.
James admits that he is no "revolutionary." But his reputation as a kind of innovator has provided him with the window of opportunity to meet people who view his uniqueness and stance on life as something they wish to share.
"I've met a lot of revolutionaries, I've met a lot of artists, I've met a lot of anti-governmental people and I've met a lot of people with whom I've had connections with," James explained, citing groups such as Sustained Dialogue, the Love Revolution, Islamic groups, Christian groups and various art groups at the University.
"They are the people who are going to make differences after they graduate," James said.
But being the Boom Box Guy is not always fun and games. His right arm may have suffered the burden most directly, with its bicep becoming disproportionately larger than his left one.
James also noted the pressure he feels to maintain his image.
"There were times when I did it because I felt like it was expected of me," he said. "I'm not perfect, I can't keep up the same wavelengths all the time."
His boom box also is not always welcome on Grounds. James remembered a music professor demanding that he turn down the music as James was relaxing in front of Old Cabell Hall, telling him the area was not a public place.
"He said 'I do music for a living,' and then I said, 'Well so do I,'" James recounted, having walked away from the scene, leaving a trail of Outkast behind him for the professor to contemplate.
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