The Break Presents: HXLT

While Kanye West has his fandom waiting at the edge of their computer screens for any new information on his new album, SWISH, 'Ye has quietly added yet another Chicago-bred artist to his roster. Nigel Holt, known to the music world as simply HXLT, signed with G.O.O.D. Music in March of 2015 and has been meshing genres of punk, rock and hip-hop since his days on the block of Southside Chicago. But as the 32-year-old artist explains, having the illustrious Kanye cosign doesn't mean things in this industry come easy.

"Kanye is the busiest, most 'involved in everything in the world' human I’ve ever met so I don’t really see him," explained HXLT. "The way they work is 'We think you’re dope, here’s your opportunity. Build yourself.' And I like that because the days off tell me where I need to be? That’s a wrap."

His latest single, "Guitar", is definitely not your run of the mill banger but more an example of the out-of-the-box creativity and freedom HXLT is all about. Get to know the tatted "anti-rap" rapper. —Sidney Madden

Name: HXLT

Age: 32

Hometown: Southside Chicago

I grew up listening to: Twista, 2Pac, No Limit, Wu-Tang, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, The Clash... Sade, you know, from my mom. I literally grew up listening to everything. Jefferson Starship, Queen was huge, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, I can name names for years. My mom would bump the smooth jazz radio. She would be singing all day bumpin’ Puerto Rican music, a lot of R&B. I listen to all the cool stuff like Lionel Richie, Michael MacDonald. Everything that was poppin’ in the late ‘80s, my mom would bump that. And then my father was an incredible musician. His favorite band was Led Zeppelin, and the Foo Fighters and stuff like that, so I got a lot of influence from rock and R&B. And then, when I was growing up, the only things that was on TV was like gangsta rap, Ice Cube and N.W.A or Headbanger’s Ball so like, Metallica and Anthrax and stuff. So, I’ve always been around all of it. The one genre that really knocked me in the chest was I was watching MTV Jams and I saw The Clash “Rock The Casbah” video and I was like, ‘those guys look like they’re having fun.’ So I went to Sam Goodie and bought the CD not knowing that they were a punk band. I heard the first song on the album, it’s called “Know Your Rights.” And that was the first time I ever heard music that matched my energy, because I’ve always been crazy hyper and stuff so I was like, “This is how I feel!”

My style has been compared to: I’ve gotten Phil Collins one time. People say a lot of mashups. One time someone said it was like Dr. Dre and The Strokes made an album and then someone else was like it’s like New Order and gangsta rap, you know? People just keep comparing it to a bunch of things. I get Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I get a lot of random bands mixed with rapper beats.

Something people don’t know about me: I used to street fight for money. I got into a fight and the guy I fought, his friends were there and they were like, “Hey we do this." And this was around the time that Fight Club the movie was out and I ran into some kids that were into that stuff basically, and they were like, “Hey, you want to fight?” and then you bet. So I’d come through with like a brick, a grand, and then they bet and whoever wins obviously gets the money. Five Gs is the most I’ve ever won. Yeah, I was basically just being a crazy 20-year-old.

My standout record or moment to date: Probably when I made a cover for Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” and I produced the record and ended up selling it to Kanye and Indep. My biggest record to date is the Beyonce and Andre 3000 one I have on The Great Gatsby soundtrack that I produced. And that was also the first beat I ever made in my life. Ever.

My goal in hip-hop is: My goal in music and life is to make true music for people to enjoy and help the world in some way through that.

I’m the next: I’m going to be the first Hxlt ever. I am not going to sound like anyone, I’m not going to be like anyone and that’s real. There’s only one me. I’ve tried to go, maybe I’m like this or like that, but you will never meet someone like me, I promise you. That’s really a fact. So, I’m going to be the next non-arrogant phenomenon. [Laughs]

Follow HXLT on Twitter and SoundCloud.

Standout: "Guitar"

"Knight Call (Remix)"

Cover Me

"Live to Death"