Joe Horton grew up in Milwaukee, studied psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, and eventually gravitated to the Twin Cities, where his mix of music, theater, and visual art has attracted a cohort of steady collaborators. He is best known as the MC for alternative hip hop trio No Bird Sing, whose 2009 self-titled debut received local and national attention for its unique approach to the genre. He has also been a member of hip hop outfits Hyder Ali and Mixed Blood Majority, and is a co-founder of the arts collective F I X.