CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — At the Spectrum Center last month, Queen City News met a singing duo at the intersection of preparation and patriotism.
That’s where Micah and Matt Robinson warmed up for a big moment, singing the national anthem at the Hornets game. They sing as one, as a duo called NX2.
“Y’all sing, they announce the players,” the 15-year-old twins were instructed before heading onto the basketball court on March 20, before the Hornets-Pacers matchup.
“Just ready to get out there and show everybody what we can do with our voices,” Micah told Queen City News.
“It’s about to go down right now, baby; it’s game time!” a man told them.
Minutes later, the teens delivered the “Star-Spangled Banner,” giving the audience a sense of their soulful brotherhood chemistry.
“We’ll finish each other’s runs, verses for each other, and stuff like that,” Matt explained.
With smooth vocals and songwriting skills, the ambitious siblings appear to have their act together.
“We want to take it to the next level,” Micah said. “At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, we want to go down as one of the best — if not the best — duo/group of our generation.”
So far, songs include “Our Love” and “Love In Replay.” This week, NX2 released their latest single, “See You Go,” available on streaming platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify.
Old-school role models inspire their modern R&B sound.
“We’re the next generation of what our uncles were,” Matthew said.
NX2 are the nephews of K-Ci and JoJo, who were chart-topping stars in the 90s and early 2000s with hits including “All My Life” and “Lately.”
The twins idolize their uncles and want to take on the mantle, so NX2 makes sense, they said.
“And the name is to say that we’re the next two to carry a legacy,” said Micah.
They put a lot of pressure on themselves, and with so much focus on music, having fun at places like Frankie’s Fun Park keeps them grounded. Queen City News caught up with them while shooting basketball in the arcade and riding go-karts.
“That’s important just to balance it,” Micah said. “Cause you can’t work too hard and stress yourself out.”
“It’s always a good thing to have a close bond with your brother,” Matthew said.
The boys understand how fleeting life can be.
The show jerseys they wore during our interview include the words “LOVE STORY” and the number 15.
“(Love story is) the title of our EP. But 15 is for ‘Long Live John,’ that’s one of our classmates at our school. He passed away due to gun violence, and we just wanted to symbolize that on our jerseys for one of our shows in the past,” said Micah.
Fifteen was John Morales’s age when the North Mecklenburg High student was shot and killed in east Charlotte last May.
“It taught me to just cherish every day, every moment with family,” Micah reflects.
“Give every day everything you’ve got because you never know when it’s the last day,” Matthew agreed.
With perspective beyond their years, they can’t wait to see what unfolds next, especially considering their family history is on their side.
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“For the land of the free and the home of the brave,” they harmonized, ending their version of the anthem at the Hornets game with a bang.
As they left the Spectrum Center court, they heard applause and approval.
“Good job!” Hornets cheerleaders yelled.
You might say the Robinsons believe anything’s possible when they sing NX2 each other.
