We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Saxon Kincy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Saxon, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I’ve been working with kids recently and its been a really interesting time. I started developing this project because I was creating early childhood entertainment character based in an Afrofuturistic world named BooBoo Owie. Afrofuturism is a big piece in this because I believe it is important for BIPOC children to see themselves in the future. To show that they not only exist in the future but to also show that it is a joy filled place for them.
I then started to think about my childhood and how I saw my future. I never saw my life past the age of 24. Coolio had a song when around that time called Ganagtas Paradise. I’m 23 now will I live to be 24 the way things is goin IDK. Then a year before that Ice cube had a song Today was a good day. Hooked it up for later as I hit the do’ thinking will I live another 24. I thought he was talking about another 24 years but when I grew up I realized he was just talking about another 24 hours.
These are not the only examples of rappers talking about how they are unsure of their future. To be honest those two examples are some of the cooler more beautiful ways to talk about how youre nervous about what might come. But these are just my examples of how music effected how I saw myself in the future.
But then I spent four weeks making music with the kids over at Hallet Elementary in Denver, Colorado.
I asked a group of fourth graders who their favorite artists are and what is the maximum age they see themselves. Students that listened to pop and gospel music saw themselves living into their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. There was even a student who said they would live to the age of 200. The children whose favorite artist spoke about gun violence and black death only saw themselves living into their late teens and early twenties. I believe there is a direct correlation between what music you listen to and how you see your future.
This ideal of not imagining a future as a kid that listens to hip hop is not completly unsubstantiated. A 2015 study researched the age of death of musicians depending on what genre they’re in. the average age of death for hip hop artist is 30 years old. Now that number is a little skewed because of how long hip hop has been around. We are celebrating 50 years. The number that is more shocking to me is that 51% of those rapper deaths were homicides. These kids favorite artist are talking about death and also dying young and I find it hard to believe that this is affecting them.
Im also interested in hip hops fascination for guns. Which is also Americas fascination for guns. But as rappers we seem to LOVE guns. Which is weird because guns is what took away some of our most prolific rappers.
Tupac, Scott La Rock, Biggie, Big L, Jam Master Jay, Mac Dre, Nipsey Hustle. Those are rappers just lost to shootings and there are so many more.
Theoretically if a gun is for protection then why are 51% of hip hop deaths homicides. It doesn’t seem to be protecting us that well. I believe the issue is in the messaging. Gospel, R&B, Soul all come from the same place hip hop comes from yet their homicide deaths are around 45% lower than hip hop homicides.
If the research is telling us that being a rapper is one of the most dangerous professions in this country I believe that it is time to make a shift in how me make it.
Long story short I’ve been going into school and gathering data on how your primary music genre affects how you see your future. I’ve been spending time with the kids and providing a space to talk about our future in a meaningful way. I bring in my recording equipment and we make songs about our future.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m Old Man Saxon and I make music. I got into the industry because I had to be. I truly believe i was born to make music so i had to find a way to make that my living. I’d almost prefer to not be in the music industry and just make music but it would be really hard to make money that way. I’m really proud of all my work, especially the bad stuff. The stuff that i listen to now and go “ooof”. Because I used to make really terrible music and I still didn’t quit. I’m really proud of that. In 2015 I was homeless for 13 months and I still didn’t quit. I love making music and I don’t imagine there is much that could stop me from doing that.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish i realized the importance of being alone. I was always dependent on other people to complete some piece of art. Needing a beat to finish a song, needing a director to finish a video. And although I am extremely grateful to everybody that I worked with on my journey I also realized that I also needed to learn how to do certain things on my own. Being alone and figuring stuff out has really helped me in my creative process.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For the longest time i thought the most rewarding thing was finishing an album or a music video. But the more i grow as an artist the more i realize that its about the journey in making art. When you’re stuck on a song or ideal that it feels like it will never go anywhere and then when you finally figure it out…BEST FEELING EVER.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: oldmansaxon
- Facebook: oldmansax
- Twitter: oldmansaxon
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oldmansaxon1
Image Credits
Chris Greer