Poet-turned-songwriter Nik Xandir Wolf has never been interested in staying in one lane. A published author of six books with a decade of writing behind him, Wolf turned to music just over a year ago — and quickly built a sound that fuses country, underground hip-hop, reggae, and gritty 90s alt-rock into something all his own. In this conversation, he breaks down the wild, fast-moving collaboration behind his new single “Cowboy Drip” — featuring Pigeon John and Sunspot Jonz — talks candidly about the noise-to-substance ratio in today’s music industry, and shares what’s next between a forthcoming album, a crime novel on submission, and a Hemingway-inspired project born out of running with the bulls in Pamplona.
Pleasure meeting you, Nik! We love artists who genuinely defy categorization instead of just claiming to. Please tell me, how long have you been writing, and how long have you been making music?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I have been writing regularly for over ten years now, published my first short story around that time. I turned to songwriting a little over a year ago when I grew frustrated that nobody reads poetry. I thought, well, I’ll write poetry to song and see where that goes. Although some of my work is tongue-in-cheek, some is a little more serious.
What coast do you really rep — Central Valley, Carmel, or somewhere in between?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I grew up in Southern California, going to Oceanside in the San Diego area. Spent some time in the Central Valley on a farm growing up, then moved to the Monterey Bay, where I have been for a long time.
Country roots, underground hip-hop, reggae, gritty 90s alt-rock — that’s a LOT of DNA for one artist to carry! How have you been able to blend all of that into something like “Cowboy Drip” without it feeling like a mess?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I mean, it may seem like a mess to some people. Lol. I just like certain sounds, and when I hear a beat I like, I start writing to it.
A lot of artists try to mix genres, and it just doesn’t land!
Nik Xandir Wolf: Yeah, I really like Cowboy Drip. It has such a funky, feel-good vibe and so much talent on the track, I dig it.
Tell us about your musical influences growing up. Any specific artist that made you say “THIS is what I want to do”? Was there anyone in your life — family, friends, mentors — who pushed you to take your writing and your music seriously?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I think my underground hip-hop influences pushed me to want to turn my writing into performance art, aka music. I have always been a big Atmosphere fan; he is such a vivid literary stylist lyrically. I have always respected him. Along with a vast catalogue of other musicians and hip hop artists. I haven’t really had any specific mentors pushing me toward music; I just enjoy writing it and don’t really care what people think.
Please break down the creative process behind “Cowboy Drip”! And give us some background on how the collaboration with Pigeon John and Sunspot Jonz actually came together — we heard Sunspot Jonz wrote two verses for you to choose from; that’s WILD.
Nik Xandir Wolf: Yeah, I might do a little social media promo and send people Sunspot Jonz’s secret verse. It’s so good, I feel like people will enjoy it. I just had the idea; it came from the song title. I wanted to write something called Cowboy Drip. So I started excavating beats, I am really into Dirty Heads right now, and dig the sort of reggae mashups they do. So I tapped Shane Irie on the hook, then reached out to Pigeon John and Sunspot and sent them the beat with the hook Shane and I came up with, and they were both in. It felt like a very natural collaboration.
What are you currently working on right now? We know “Ride or Die” and “Cowboy Drip” are out — is a full album on the way?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I am working on a full album for sure. Not sure what the release date will be. I just wrote another song about being a father called “Grow ’em Up Slow,” and have released some social media clips. It’s a much closer-to-the-heart track. So, I am just exploring my breadth right now, and will worry about dialing it into an album later.
Other than music and writing, is there another creative lane you’d want to explore down the line?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I am enjoying making content. I started a reel show called the Surf Cowboy Beach Rentals. The first episode is live and features Rebelution founder Matt Velasquez.
You’ve got six published books already — where does that side of you want to go next?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I have another crime novel out on submission. I am hoping to land a deal for the book here soonish. I just got back from running of the bulls in Pamplona, and I want to write a Hemingway homage. We shall see where that takes us. The Sun Also Rises is my favorite book.
So many artists nowadays think that a few viral clips and a quick single equal success. Give us your honest take on the state of the game right now — is there too much noise and not enough substance?
Nik Xandir Wolf: Dear lord, yes. There is a lot of talent out there, but a lot of white noise too. AI music is going viral: people who make good music but lousy content, and vice versa. It’s a tough time to stand out, but I think that has always been true. At least with social media, there is a chance of discovering your tribe, even though it requires an almost insurmountable amount of time and energy.
Here it is, our favorite question to ask everybody — what’s YOUR definition of “authenticity” in music, especially when you’re blending as many genres as you do?
Nik Xandir Wolf: Authenticity is being yourself. I mean, I shirk all other artists and influences when I work on a piece. Of course, it’s hard not to have some voices in the back of your head. But the thing that bothers me the most is when people try to sound like somebody else, either lyrically or in song. Like, get your own style, let your own voice shine through. We don’t need a thousand rappers that sound like Drake.
Lastly — any shoutouts?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I would like to thank my collaborators, Amber, who is always down to shoot some content, Pigeon John, Eligh (he is on an unreleased track), Sunspot Jonz, Shane Irie, my beat dudes, and my MFA homies. I love you all, my creatives of the world.
About “Cowboy Drip”
“Cowboy Drip” is out now, and it’s got people asking, “Wait, what genre IS this?” Walk us through the moment this song was born. Did it start as a beat, a hook, a lyric, or something else entirely?
Nik Xandir Wolf: It started as an idea. I wanted to write a song called “Cowboy Drip” because that sounded funny and interesting to me. Then I went back and forth with my beat guy, Enissvvy, on the beat. Then I wrote the hook, and then I got the other artists on board. It’s a collaboration and a process. I dig the track, I hope others do too.
This is only two weeks after “Ride or Die” dropped! That’s fast. Was “Cowboy Drip” already finished when “Ride or Die” came out, or did you move quickly because you were in a groove?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I work on three songs at a time, so when I am waiting for my beat guy or another artist, I’ll dig back into another track.
Let’s talk imagery for a second — velvet vest, leather hat, Navajo Kush in a corn husk sack, a buggy bouncing down the road with a banjo strumming. Those are HYPER specific details. Where do lines like that come from for you — memory, imagination, or a bit of both?
Nik Xandir Wolf: Ha. You would have to ask Sunspot Jonz about that; those are his lyrics, and I absolutely love them. I actually wrote my verse to follow in that vision. I visualized the Desperado Lost Boys kind of vibe. A little Dusk till Dawn-ish in my interpretation. There is so much fun imagery in this jam. I love it.
You’ve described the song as something that makes people want to dance without knowing exactly what they’re dancing to — country, reggae, and rap all braided together. Was there ever a version of this song where you tried to make it fit into ONE lane, or did it come out this hybrid from day one?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I never tried to get it into a specific lane. I think art is for being creative and doing what moves you. About NOT being confined, and about being authentic to yourself and your vision. The song is what it is. I am stoked when I hear it.
For someone hitting play on “Cowboy Drip” for the first time today, what do you want them to feel by the time it’s over?
Nik Xandir Wolf: I want them to feel like they weren’t quite sure what just hit them, but they liked it. You know. Like, wow, what the hell was that? That was fun. Let’s do that again. That sure as hell wasn’t Drake. lol
