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Port Elizabeth born and bred MXO (real name Mxolisi Lokwe) took a train in 1999 to the "city of gold" to pursue his musical career, and he has never looked back ever since. Soon after his arrival in JHB, MXO started performing at nightclubs and various other gigs in Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville and Melville.
It wasn't long before he met the award-winning Afro-pop singer Ringo Madlingozi, who gave him valuable lessons on the rich artistry and creativity of the people of Jozi. Later on he hooked up with Sliq Angel, and together they formed the innovative duo Roots 2000, resulting in a series of performances at venues like Club 206, Woodstock, Arts Alive, Oppikoppie and Bassline.
Judging by the large number of gig invitations, there was no doubt that Johannesburg had fallen head over heels in love with the duo's captivationg music - even though they never actually recorded their own album.
But the burning desire to do their own soon caught up with both MXO and Sliq Angel, subsequently marking the end of Roots 2000.
In 2001 MXO met DJ Blaze, and together they released "Another Day" through Sony BMG. The critically acclaimed album, which features songs written by MXO, was an instant success. Its success gave MXO an opportunity to open for the acclaimed American bank known as "Incognito" among other things.
In 2003 MXO's first full-length album "Peace of Mind" was released. Featuring hits like "Zandiy'bone","Nomalizo" and "Nina", the album's resounding success saw him travel and perform overseas, including France, Switzerland, Japan and China among others.
In the year to follow, MXO had a busy year, leading to several nominations for the SAMA, Metro FM awards, and Channel O MTV base awards.
A true believer in giving back to the very community that supports him, MXO has also been involved in charity work for the Treatment Against Aids campaign, old age homes, celebrities on line, orphanages, UNICEF (humanitarians).
Praised for his innovative, stylish and sexy approach to music, MXO has also performed at Winnie and Nelson Mandela's birthdays, homage to the two people he admires most.
One of his career highlights was the 2006 collaboration with Grammy nominee Jamie Catto for the second edition of the "One Giant Leap" project, which brings together artists from all around the world.