Prior to his pivot to music, Zak Ludwig (now known as Zak Tovin) was best known for his work on the silver screen, acting alongside John Cusack, Billy Ray Cyrus, and numerous other celebrities for much of his childhood. An accomplished film and theatre actor, Zak made the creative shift toward hip hop in his early teens. After releasing several mixtapes under the name XVi throughout the early 2010s, Zak took an extended hiatus from music before finally returning with 2021's "Hard Drive From a Past Life" EP. Since releasing his debut album, "doubt," in 2022, Zak has assembled the NoCNotes YouTube channel and creative collective, helping up and coming hip hop artists develop their skills in a supportive and positive environment. Nowadays, Zak is working diligently on several projects, including his own sophomore album, the debut BASSJUMP duo project alongside CliF, and a compilation album featuring members of the NoCNotes collective.