Blakk Boxx Bio
As Southern rap continues to dominate the airwaves as the most popular form of hip-hop it has evolved into something no one ever thought it could—commercialization. The South has become rap's flagship region for better, or worse. Along have come the legions of imitators hitching their wagon to what's hot, leaving a highly disgruntled fan base at the mercy of media hype and overzealous record executives trying to create the next gold-grilled cash cow. There are more rappers surfacing that carry aka's beginning with “'lil” and “young” in the region than there are Popeyes franchises. Since the music genre's popularity contest was won by the South, it now, unfortunately, appears to be heading further South. A select few names in the industry are carrying the torch of raw, ruggedness that the South has become legendary for. By the grace of the hip-hop Gods, a new name can be added to the list of those minute few that keep it real. Enter Blakk Boxx.
Blakk Boxx consists of hardcore, seasoned veteran N-OCENT, and the younger, incomparable style of Pro.
Too often in duos, both parties bring similar repertoires to the table which compromises individuality and recognition within the group. It creates an apples-to-apples sound where even the most keen listener cannot decipher which member they are hearing. Blakk Boxx defies that problem. N-OCENT and Pro's voices and styles are vastly different. N-OCENT carries a rugged, deeper melody. Pro counters with an uppity, fiery ensemble. Yet, their dynamic chemistry in the booth makes for a glove-like fit where opposites attract.
Channeling the nihilistic spirit of contemporaries like Ludacris and honing the defining lyrical quality of such predecessors as Three 6 Mafia, N-OCENT manages to ride atop the bass-heavy production rather than being overpowered, or combative. The swagger is charming and the infectious quality is undeniable. The titanium encased package that is N-OCENT demands to be noticed.
An extremely private man about his childhood, few specific details are divulged by the artist. “I was born in Baltimore and have lived everywhere from Jacksonville Florida, to Georgia, to Tennessee. I've spent my whole life in the south. It's my home,” N-OCENT reveals. Born Nathan O'Hara Leonard Jr., N-OCENT was the second of four children in a traditional and religious household. Unlike many of his peers, the teenage N-OCENT lived in a Pentecostal home with both parents, but found the strict doctrine of his strict father difficult to maintain. “I knew my father wanted my best but I have always been self-made, even as a kid. When thangs he wanted went ‘gainst thangs I wanted, we butted heads ‘cause I was determined to do me. I never could stand bein' ordered around,” he professes.
Born Torrence Lorenzo Jones, Pro, has lived in Miami his entire life. The second oldest of seven siblings spawned from broken households, he has an 18-month old son and has been with the same woman for eight years as the two married six years ago. “Honestly man, she is my inspiration,” he stated emphatically. “She has always been there for me when others weren't. I have grown up around a lot of dirty people doing all the wrong things. She has kept me grounded and helped me keep my head on straight. One of my brothers was deep into the dope game just like a lot of others around me. I'm not saying I haven't done plenty of dirt, but if it weren't for my wife I don't know where I'd be.”
Both rappers are high school grads and both attempted to further their educations in different fields. Following high school, N-OCENT made many attempts to develop a sense of susceptibility, but without success. After a failed stint in business school, a dishonorable discharge from the Army for insubordination and the birth of his first daughter, he found himself back to his original means of money-making--the hustle. “Now I had a mouth to feed so playtime was over. I felt I had to do whatever necessary to provide for mines.” Soon after, he began free-styling again, like he did growing up. Finding fulfillment, N-OCENT felt he was on to something and started doing shows, eventually starting a group he named Easy to Die. His proneness to relocating on short notice eventually put strain on the unity of the Tennessee crew he organized. He was the glue that held them together. Finally, a brief incarceration for drug trafficking proved lethal to the union and once again N-OCENT was on his own.
Weary but far from broken, he found refuge in a homeless shelter he eventually ended up managing as a means of support while he continued to dream of establishing a viable music career. As a solo act, he gained the interest of the Platinum House production team. The outfit was riding high off the summer of 2002 hit, “My Neck, My Back,” by super-sleazy rap-stress, Khia. Since '96, N-OCENT had begun earning a reputation by doing cameos on other artists' singles until he became a name to be reckoned with in the South. In the process, he developed relationships with other aspiring rap superstars who already operated off distribution deals, remaining free from the vice of controlling record label hounds. With the backing of a legitimate artistic and executive team and a vision of the possibilities things really took off for him creatively. “Working with Platinum House and some of their artists who already had distribution deals really showed me the difference between being local and professional,” he proclaimed.
Professionally, while N-OCENT retains a lengthier bio being four years pro 's elder, Pro is starting to come into his own. “N-OCENT and I have done some shows at the hottest clubs and now we are ready to take that next step and branch out across the South and nation-wide. We representin' Florida to the fullest.”
When queried on whom inspired him the most Pro displayed no hesitation in his reaction. “Trick Daddy,” he paused, “Without a doubt he is the one that made me want to do what I do. We both from Miami and he made it big just like I plan to.” Lil Wayne and west coast legend, 2Pac, are a couple others he aspires to. “I started rapping as a teenager and have been doing it as a career now for six years. Those are some of the rappers that got me going in the first place. I know this is my calling. So I'm a do what I do.”
The story of how the group came about is as original as their sound. “Man, I don't know if I should be saying this,” Pro laughs, “But him and I met through my brother ‘cause my bro and N-OCENT worked the grave-yard shift together in a stock room. My Bro was telling N-OCENT about me and what I do and thought it would be a good idea if we met-up and collaborated in the studio. From the first session we never looked back. The people in there heard us doing our own things and suggested we be a group ‘cause we sounded so good together. With both of us also being from Florida it was just a good fit for us to put it down for our home state. Then the name “Blakk Boxx” was came up with and we all agreed it was hot.”
Blakk Boxx is about to be smoldering. Knowing well the bite of failure, N-OCENT has been a run-away, a drug pusher and a prisoner. He has nothing to lose and lives that way. He concludes, “I do all I can when it comes to music. I take it very seriously and get my grind on no matter what. Ain't nobody gonna do it for me.”
“We are going to do this thing right and represent the South and Florida the way it should be done,” Pro adds. “There ain't no turning back. We about to take this whole game to the next level.”
If N-OCENT and Pro can revive the South back to its' raw essence like they intend to, that is music to the ears of Hip-hop supporters whom fiend for realness--not only from the South--but world-wide.
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