In 1993, a panel of academics and corporate executives made the trip to Washington DC to testify before a special congressional committee chaired by Connecticut's Senator Joe Lieberman. The purpose of this testimony: to quell a rising moral panic stemming from violence in video games, both arcade cabinets and games for home entertainment systems. At one point during these hearings, government officials watched as a character in Midway’s Mortal Kombat ripped the heart from the body of a defeated foe, the organ still visibly beating. The amateur cardiac surgeon at the center of this national controversy was Kano, and while federal bureaucrats at the time huffed and puffed in indignation, the reaction of a younger generation could be summed up in a single word: “Sweet!” Anthony Johnson, aka FXNCH, clearly feels the same.

On his single “Rhymes Like Kano,” Kalispell, Montana hip hop ace FXNCH showcases his ambidextrous wordsmithing, accentuating his naturalistic and organic vocal performance. Working in collaboration with Bitter Roots Recordings founder Hannibal Hayes (Lecture), FXNCH feels right at home with the classic boom-bap drums and sleek piano instrumentation. It’s a sound palette that will instantly resonate with fans of Rhymesayers Entertainment, and FXNCH’s performance draws parallels to the more grounded moments of Aesop Rock- or the less melancholy musings of Slug himself. “Rhymes Like Kano” marks a [perfect introduction into FXNCH’s catalog, but be forewarned: just like the track’s namesake, FXNCH is more than capable of stealing your heart.

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