Nox
Written by: Cait Elizabeth - September 2018
Edited by: Travis Ryan
INTRODUCTIONS
Nox is sharp-witted, fast-talking, and all attitude. Clever wordplay feels like it comes naturally to Nox (who gets ID’d as Dylan Kann). He invested time into freestyling with friends for years before realizing it was something he wanted to pursue on stage. Nox haunts the local open mics around the island and is frequently reported to be in Queens and Brooklyn. A good way to start getting to know Nox is with his self-administered eulogy “Always Be With You” ft. Jon Jeremy, AllOne & Chelsea Takami. He admits he falls into the same vein of slightly off-kilter personas such as Slim Shady, Tech N9ne, and Hopsin. From one verse to the next you can’t quite tell if Dylan is burying Nox or the other way around, until it becomes apparent that each personality is its own side of the same coin.
TOURS & SHOWS
Nox’s favorite show to date was the Daze Summit showcase in April 2018. The Summit is a ten-day festival that showcases artists, helps with networking in the community, and raises money for a scholarship fund. It’s a diverse community meet-up in the heart of Brooklyn. After shaking hands, kissing babies, and reflecting on the beautiful tapestry of backgrounds that had come together, Nox was ready to hit the stage. Albeit slightly intimidated following such talented acts, Nox held his own. Even when the beat cut out thirty seconds into a song, he impressed the crowd by finishing it a cappella. The techs got the sound back on track shortly after, but they had words of admiration for the way he handled the curveball. “You know, usually my freestyle section is the real impressive trick, but I kind of learned that day that being ballsy and just going for it is a trick in and of itself,” Nox noted.
Nox’s favorite song to perform is “Beast”, the first of an annual Halloween song trend. “Great Day” and “Slasher Flick” followed “Beast” in the spooky song tradition. “Beast” touches on some of the same dual-personality themes of “Always Be With You” but with a werewolf twist. It was one of the first songs Nox wrote that he was confident enough to perform in front of other people, so it holds a special place in his heart. It also shows off his love of old-school hip hop via a Non-Phixon beat. You can find it on Nox’s mixtape Tetsuo.
His first EP The Formula drops on October 26th 2018, and he will be performing live on local access (PATV) on October 3rd.
SUBSCRIBE & SUPPORT
Facebook
Instagram
Soundcloud
noxthemc@gmail.com
INSPIRATION & INFLUENCES
Nox has a clear love for the world of lore, fantasy, and sci-fi, which comes through clearly in his references and musical tone. I personally love coming across rap that touches on Tolkien and Dungeons & Dragons. You can also feel a love for nostalgia in general, from old school video game music to classic hip hop artists. Nox describes his sound as “‘90s classic hip hop merged with contemporary underground.” Some of his most influential artists include Aesop Rock, Tech N9ne, Eminem, Del The Funky Homosapien, Hieroglyphics, Big Pun, Eyedea, Atmosphere, Ces Cru, and Tupac.
“Be you. Be weird. Don’t get caught up in defining yourself through the perceptions of other people or through the trappings of shallow materialism. You only get to be alive once, so don’t waste the opportunity because you’re afraid. Life is insane, so you gotta just make peace with that. Laugh at it. Appreciate the absurdity. And don’t lose track of what’s really important at the end of the day. Don’t trap yourself in a cage of your own making.”