Along for the Ride: BLK ODYSSY’s Road to Reinvention

Juwan Elcock has done it again: reinvented himself. The fact becomes clear the moment you hear “Delilah” on Apple CarPlay, blasting from the Bose headrest speakers in the reimagined Nissan Kicks. For a musician who is constantly transporting his listeners with new sounds, BLK ODYSSY couldn’t be more fitting. Here is an artist, fueled by purpose, pain, and endless curiosity, driving into a beautiful great abyss that only Elcock himself would have mapped out.

As a kid growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, Elcock’s father introduced him to the music that would come to spark his artistry through long backseat car rides down the turnpike. Soul and funk were always on deck – and it’s no surprise, considering his dad was a roadie for Parliament-Funkadelic back in the ‘70s. 

It’s a genre that was essentially a part of his DNA, and a musical identity he carried with him until his family road-tripped across the country, landing in Austin: a bustling musical hub that, like BLK ODYSSY and the all-new Nissan Kicks, is constantly growing and evolving, inspiring those around it to do the same. 

A far cry from the moody winter-chill of the northeast, Elcock opened up to the absolute Texan heat of a classic guitar lick, thanks to a new friend: Alejandro Rios. His current bandmate and longtime collaborator introduced him to the expanse of rock and roll and Americana that the state had to offer. From Jimi Hendrix to Led Zeppelin, Rios played it all. And with the limitless offering of live performances in the city, Elcock witnessed its power firsthand. 

But it ultimately wasn’t just about tapping into other music for the sake of experiencing something new. It was a transformative discovery, a blending of genres that helped hone in on a sound that felt most like his spirit and all of the triumphs and tragedies that shaped him until that point.

That gritty, unexpected, and modern blend of unrelenting rock and deep, deep soul evolved Elcock from his former stage name Sam Houston to BLK ODYSSY. Here he is, no longer the kid in the backseat of an old classic, listening to his dad’s groovy tunes. Now, he’s sitting up front, in a Nissan Kicks crossover SUV just as evolved, bold, and versatile as he is, playing personal lyrics that speak to unlocking this new level within him.

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BLK ODYSSY is a name as synonymous with him as it is to his body of work. The interchangeability is a testament to BLK ODYSSY’s constant state of fluidity and self-discovery, both among himself and his fanbase. With his latest album, 1-800-FANTASY, that couldn’t be more apparent. Call it alt-rock or call it R&B, call it grunge or call it jazz, you’d find the sound that fits your definition. That’s the beauty of BLK ODYSSY’s work. Just like the car rides with his dad were a portal to different types of music to him, that’s what BLK ODYSSY is to his listeners.

And if you think his work is limited to different genres of albums, you’re underestimating the breadth of his imagination, and the influence of his ever-inspiring family. Next up? Classical music, just like his composer uncle. Don’t be surprised if you begin to hear more orchestration in BLK ODYSSY’s next evolution.

But for now, let’s get back to where Elcock is: driving through a dreamlike landscape in a totally redesigned crossover that’s become the perfect vessel to showcase his remarkable reinvention. Check out the video with BLK ODYSSY and reimagine your own journey, with the all-new, reimagined Nissan Kicks.