Keenan Jenkins excelled in school, leaving his hometown of Rocky Mount in high school to attend the highly-selective North Carolina School of Science and Math. But music pulled him away from his studies, and midway through completing his doctorate, he came to the conclusion that his creative pursuits needed his full attention.
Nonetheless, he did his homework and got the piece of paper before moving on to dedicate himself to music full-time, allowing him to release the EP “Worthy” last year. Beyond XOXOK, Jenkin’s personal project, he brings his soul-infused guitar and bass to other local groups, including Jack Willow Junior and Wake Moody. Host Frank Stasio discusses the ways politics and art inform each other with Keenan Jenkins. XOXOK will perform at Kings in Raleigh on Thursday, March 12 at 8 p.m.