Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Hexum went to Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska. There he played in the school's concert jazz band, and played in several local bands like "The Extras","The Ed's," "The Right Profile," and "Unity." In the late 1980s Nick moved to Los Angeles to pursue music, but he found his opportunity to be back home in Omaha just a couple of years later. His friend and future band mate, Chad Sexton, convinced him to move back to Omaha to start a band with other friends Aaron Wills and Jim Watson; this is the band that would eventually take the name 311.