Born and raised in Detroit’s inner city, BLKBOK (born Charles Wilson III) grew up in a music-filled home and was an acclaimed piano prodigy by age eight, winning statewide accolades and college-level competitions. While many of his peers pursued hip-hop, Charles chose the name BLKBOK, a nod to one of the greatest pianists and composers of all time and a reflection of his journey from pop and hip-hop culture to his critically acclaimed neo-classical debut album Black Book and subsequent mixtape projects and collaborations.