Who is Canton hip-hop artist Nicasso Turpin? Award winner, new father, community advocate

CANTON − Nicasso Turpin considers his summer hip-hop performance at the Tacos & Tequila Music Fest to be both a career highlight and an inspirational turning point.

Opening for national acts and stars in the hip-hop and rap genre Rick Ross, 2 Chainz and T.I., the Canton resident was rapping in front of thousands of people at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at Hall of Fame Village.

But it also was special because his girlfriend and relatives were in the audience, providing extra motivation for the 2010 Massillon Washington High School graduate.

'Hip-hop saved me.' Jéan P says Canton rap scene has great talent

"When I had seen all those people there, I only saw my girlfriend and my family," he recalled. "That just made it seem like there wasn't that many people.

"It wasn't stage fright," Turpin added. "It was like a reflection. I had never performed in front of that many people, and I was pretty much humbled."

The September concert was also symbolic of a new chapter in the Ohio Entertainment Award recipient's musical journey. It was a rare live performance for him during a hiatus before the October birth of his son.

The child also will provide lyrical inspiration for new music Turpin plans to release this year.

"It's going to be first-time father experiences," he said. "This is the most serious thing I've ever written about."

Turpin will be performing on Feb. 10 at Buzzbin, 952 Kenmore Blvd. in Akron. The show also features other rappers and hip-hop artists, including Master Puff, Charlee Parker, 3G Internet and Jonathan Smart. Tickets cost $10 and are available through https://www.eventbrite.com/. Doors open at 8 p.m.

So who is Nicasso Turpin? What's his musical background, what are his musical influences and what are his long-term goals in the business and craft of hip-hop and rap?

Here are five things you need to know about the 31-year-old Canton resident.

1. What inspired Turpin to become a rapper?

Listening to rappers and hip-hop artists like Eminem, Twista and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Turpin first began to rap at home as a kid.

"It became muscle memory," he said. "And I started singing by second nature."

While a McKinley High student, he met other rappers and formed Swagger City. The group performed at a McKinley pep rally before Turpin moved to Massillon and became a solo artist.

A big moment came in 2018 when Turpin performed in a radio station-sponsored hip-hop event in Queens, New York.

His performance in an Akron event qualified him for the New York showcase. Turpin said he lost his job at the time so he could travel to the competition.

"I believed in myself that much," he recounted, noting he placed first in rapping.

Turpin also has received Ohio Entertainment Awards, including lyricist of the year.

2. What music has Nicasso released?

Since releasing his first album, "Canvas" in 2021, Turpin has been prolific musically.

Follow-up releases were "All Net" and "9K" in 2022. "9K" features collaborations with Huck Peshi on most of the 17 tracks.

2023 releases include the singles "Sankofa," "Real," "Ultra Sound" and "Tu Figura." Albums and songs are available on Apple Music, Amazon Music and other streaming platforms.

Musical influences include the late rapper Tupac Shakur, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Nas and The Roots.

Turpin raps with intensity, edge and rapid-fire cadence about the realities and struggles of life and other subjects. Musical styles vary in beats and instrumentation.

3. Jéan P the MC is a fan of Nicasso Turpin.

Turpin has gained the respect and appreciation of fellow rappers, including Jéan P the MC of Stark County.

Both Turpin and Jéan P performed at the African American Arts Fest in downtown Canton, as well as The Auricle Venue + Bar in downtown Canton.

"When we talk about Canton hip-hop ... Nicasso was right there with us," said Jéan P, whose real name is Jéan Pierre Johnson.

"It was just really dope to share the stage with him," Jéan P added. "He's such a dope MC. That's just one of the many dope artists that represent the city.

"I consider us both to be lyricists. We really care about how we say our rhymes and what we're saying. Nicasso is very skilled."

Other Canton-area rappers who Turpin is a fan of include Black Gemini and Stalley, who is from Massillon.

4. Turpin also hosts a YouTube show, 'On Purpose.'

Turpin's interests and pursuits outside music include his YouTube show, "On Purpose," which incorporates his own music as a soundtrack.

"On Purpose" is a traveling video log series in which he features community members and business owners while highlighting local entertainers and "self-made individuals [who] display their dedication to uphold the purpose on what they love to do in life."

Episodes have included the EN-RICH-MENT Fine Arts Academy in Canton.

5. Nicasso Turpin plans to keep making music.

Jéan P said rap and hip-hop can be performed at all levels.

"A lot of people in hip-hop think you have to chase record deals, but you can also still do it when you're at home, and that's what he's doing," he said of Turpin.

"I think that's what the beauty is of what we do," Jéan P said. "Showing kids ... [rap and hip-hop are] done locally, too, and we're still dreaming our dreams and we have our goals."

Of Nicasso, he said: "He's very ambitious, and as long as the ambition is there, the possibilities are endless."

Turpin said he's motivated to keep making music independently while growing his audience.

"My be-all and end-all ... is to build up my online engagement and online presence to where I'm being looked at like a major [hip-hop] artist," he said.

Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com.

On X (formerly Twitter) @ebalintREP and Instagram at ed_balint

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Nicasso Turpin, Canton hip-hop artist, rapper, inspired by fatherhood