BUFFALO, NY – There’s a dynamic group of artists coming out of northern New York, and they’re all beginning to make a splash in the hip-hop scene. Though made up of individual artists – such as Lay, Killx Jxwz (pronounced Killa Jaws), Blank Black and Mr. Void – the group is known as NOLB (No One Left Behind). It’s a name that Killx Jxwz came up with as a way to represent something powerful to the world.
“It’s a name that when you hear it you think, ‘Ok. I can respect that,’” Killx Jxwz said. “It’s a name that states the unity, mostly, about the group. We’re all together and all for one and nobody gets left behind. We each look out for the next one and go from there.”
To date, NOLB has done a couple of shows in New York City, New Jersey, Buffalo and Niagrara Falls. The group has opened for Jacquees and for Montana 300, as well as a few other notorious names on the East Coast, all within the first two years of doing music professionally.
Currently the group is made up of three artists and a producer. Lay and Killx Jxwz first met in high school and have been working together over the past three years, during which time they’ve developed a sound and style that they say works well together.
Lay – born Shourlay – got his stage name in high school when a friend kept calling him that. He began to use it when he would freestyle. When he got older he met someone in the industry who introduced him to a producer, who would go on to create his first song “Businessman.”
“I had a good buzz around after that, so I kept on with music,” Lay said. “We started the group that’s now called NOLB in 2014 and dropped a mixtape in 2015. We did our first show that year and we did other local shows.”
Killx Jxwz said he chose the name because he likes shark and he feels like a shark in his professional music career in that he’s “stalking the prey that’s above me.” Born and raised in Buffalo, he said he’s doing what he can to rise through the ranks of the hip-hop industry.
“I’ve been at the bottom my whole life, trying to find a way up and trying to bet by,” Killx Jxwz said. “I first started rapping when I was young because of my older brother Blank Black. He inspired me to start rapping, and I haven’t stopped since. The wave of my music that I create is solely to give a good vibe, with a touch of common sense.”
Mr. Void is the group’s main producer. He said their songs are different and that a lot of the feedback they receive reinforces the idea that they’re not like anybody else.
“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Lay said. “We’re not trying to be like anybody else – from our names and look to our sound, everything is different about us. People like that my dream is to be able to get my mom out of Africa by her house, take care of my dad and my brother and my whole family from Africa. I’ve had nothing to be the man I am today, and I just have better dreams and this music is what’s going to get me there. I can only write about what I now about, or what I’ve been through, but I’ve seen a lot and I have a picture that I’m just starting to paint.”
The music that comes out of the group’s collaboration is something that they said will make people sit up and pay attention.
“Our songs go together because we’re not the same people,” Killx Jxwz said. “We’re different guys who have the same views on similar topics. When we come together, we both voice our opinions on the track. We both are hitting one point but with two different perspectives. It’s connected.”
“We tell different stories on the same topic,” Lay said. “We’re also trying to drive Afro-trap, which is something we’ve become really interested in lately. We’re going to be doing something with that for a little bit to see how it goes and because we like trying new things.”
Both artists have individual singles that they have coming out this summer. Lay’s single is called “Got The Juice,” and tells the story of a lot of work that Lay said he had to put in and the obstacles that he overcame. The single is slated to drop June 29.
Lay is also working on “Sauce” which is about a girl who lost her mom due to drugs and who didn’t have a father in her life. As a result she grew up feeling lonely and sought attention in negative ways – such as being a stripper or selling her body. A music video for “Sauce” is scheduled to drop June 30.
Killx Jxwz has a single called “Loose” that’s coming out this summer, as well. It’s a song that also talks about women and how some women won’t give guys any attention unless they’re willing to throw their money around.
The group released earlier this year a mixtape called “Go Hard or Go Home.” Lay said the mixtape shows off the group’s diversity and versatility, combining hip-hop with R&B and a little bit of everything.
To listen to Lay or Killx Jxwz’ music, or to follow them on social media, please visit the following links:
Soundcloud: Go Hard or Go Home
Instagram: @killxjxwz
Twitter: @killxjxwz
Instagram: @youngbosslay
Twitter: @youngbosslay
Facebook: NOLBMUSIC
Facebook: Nolbtune
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