Ajaxxx. Abacus. That one Indian kid who raps. No matter what you want to call him, he is what he is: a devoted artist, a focused lyricist, and moreover, a fierce emcee. Dedicated to “abusing the microphone” ever since the young age of thirteen, Ajaxxx can always be found honing his skills. Whether it is penning a thought-provoking tale, composing a battle track to bump to in the car, or simply freestyling with the boys, the kid can always be found rapping. “It’s my passion,” says Ajaxxx. “It’s my love, it’s my life, and sometimes I feel like it’s all I got.”
Born in Long Island, New York, Ajaxxx lived in Queens till he was nine. He then relocated to Florida, where the whole “rap thing” began. ‘Jaxxx developed his rap skills by battling at school, writing songs with friends, and jumping in cyphers. He linked up with Orlando’s DJ Gravity and put together a demo, which didn’t produce many results. Falling out with his partner, Ajaxxx took a short hiatus before returning to writing. He hasn’t stopped since.
A 5-time open mic champion on local radio station 102 Jamz, Ajaxxx continued rhyming throughout high school and college. It was here that he began recording with longtime friend Madness and his partner Santiago Skillz (the duo better known as 5th of Skillz). “Forever”, his first single, got heavy airplay on a nationwide level. “It’s the best feeling to walk by a car that you don’t know and hear your song being played. It lets you know that your people are feeling you.”
In 2005, Ajaxxx dropped “It’s About Time! The Mixtape”, the 24-track long-awaited CD. Featuring Ozone’s own Critical Madness, Madd Illz, TyPeNyCe, Awkwordz/Oddeo, and Santiago Skillz, the Secret Sircle was in full effect on this one. Tracks like “Daydreamin’”, “Let’s Take a Trip”, and “Micaholic Remix” made it all over the states as well as overseas. It was just the beginning for the kid though.
Following the release of his first mixtape, Ajaxxx dropped the “Something to Prove Promo”, a collection of songs ranging from freestyles, remixes, and fan favorites from the first CD. He continued to record, and in 2008 released “The Set-Up”, another compilation album of 24 tracks. In addition to his own solo efforts, he has been featured on countless mixtapes and albums, both nationally and internationally.
In between releases, Ajaxxx won the Rap Against Violence contest, a competition that called on artists in the state of Florida to pen a song about standing up and speaking out against gun violence. After winning the contest for his song “Walk With You”, Ajaxxx recorded a TV commercial that was played on MTV, BET, VH1, TNT, and ESPN, among other stations.
‘Jaxxx has also graced the cover of City Masala magazine, a publication circulated widely throughout Orlando and Tampa. He has also been featured on the cover of Beyond Sindh Magazine, a publication based out of Hong Kong that features stories for and by Sindhis, and in the pages of The Sindhian magazine, another Sindhi magazine based out of India. In addition, he has appeared in other print and online magazines including Rivaaj, The Indian, and Bravura Artist, among others.
Ajaxxx continues to rhyme today, as he has won battle after battle, performed up and down the east coast, and collaborated with artists globally.
When asked what his name means, Ajaxxx simply smiles. “It’s a spin-off of my real name, and a nickname given to me while growing up.” Simply put, the ‘Jaxxx man knows where he wants to go. “I’m not trying to get crazy famous, take over the world, or anything like that. I’m just trying to make music that people feel, that people enjoy, that people can relate to. And while I’m at it, I’ll ‘wipe out’ the competition. Haha.” It is what it is. Ajaxxx in full effect.