Overkill

18 | not my responsibility

HEIRS TO THE THRONE

By Porter Che | Photographs provided by Axel Canterbury

In a year when celebrity children have been vocal about their distaste of the term 'nepo baby,' siblings Mick & Moxie King are gracious in the acceptance of their inheritance. They embrace it in all its peaks and pitfalls and aren't afraid to pay homage to their talented and renowned parents. While their resemblance to music mogul Mischa King and movie producer extraordinaire Milena King is undeniable, one afternoon with them will make it clear they are of a different generation—artists on the cusp of greatness but still figuring things out.

Mick is the first sibling I run into, and I do mean that quite literally. In his haste to reach a bathroom stall in time to relieve himself of the far too many Pure Leaf Iced Teas he has consumed in the past couple of hours, we collide and almost end up on the floor. It wouldn't be the first time for him either, although the last time he slipped was in a much more public fashion on stage with his sister, and his pants split right down the middle. "They weren't just red," he recalls after the near-accident. "They were MARS red. I wonder which one of them signed off on the MARS-themed boxer briefs." Mick makes it a point to remind me of his friends Maverick and Stevie nearly falling on the Grammys red carpet last year. "They were not wearing MARS boxer briefs," he adds with a toothy grin.

Moxie, on the other hand, is a different story. If I'm not paying attention, I might trip over her on the way to set up for our first interview. After introducing myself and joining her on the floor, she points out how dirty it is before also claiming it makes her more relatable. "Libra," she explains. "I always gotta play both sides." She only agrees to let me give her a hand up after I compliment the red carabiner on her belt loop. "Not MARS merch," she clarifies later. "But it should be."

It's a gloomy day when we meet, but the Kings are used to this kind of weather. Self-proclaimed half-Canadians, half-New Yorkers, though they spend most of their time in Los Angeles nowadays. A haven for musicians trying to make it big, and home to many of the peers they now call friends. The Los Angeles influence is present both in the fresh sunkissed glow to their skin, as well as their breezy and effortless wardrobe. Mick reminisces about the many conversations leading up to their big move cross country. "We went back and forth over whether this move was necessary," he says. "It's not like we needed to. We have the resources in New York. But, we ultimately decided that if we wanted to do our best to make a name for ourselves outside of just the King aspect, spending time on our own would give us the best chance to do so. Our dad is a huge influence and he would have helped us out if we asked him to, but we needed to prove this was something we could do on our own." They're both tired coming straight off the tour bus, but they clean up nicely. Moxie touts her undereye bags as the perfect accessory.

"Our dad is an expert at solving problems," Moxie tells me as she walks back from meeting her food delivery driver outside—Taco Bell paper bag in one hand, large Baja Blast soda in the other. "Even ones you don't realize are there in the first place. And mom is the kind of person who brings out the best in you no matter what is going on in your life."

They gush about their parents proudly. It's refreshing the way they reminisce about their upbringing. Many of their peers shy away from mentioning their famous and successful relatives—utilizing stage names, or ending the conversation before it starts. Mick shakes his head, ready for a few choice words about those peers. "It's insulting for those in positions like us to deny the very significant privileges we hold. We're escorted through doors most people will never walk through simply because of who we're related to. And it doesn't mean we're not talented. It doesn't mean we don't work hard. It means we have a step up and should acknowledge it. That's all that most people want. The acknowledgment of our privilege. It's silly to deny it."