BigXThaPlug is the hottest rapper out of Texas right now
The Big Stepper is gliding his way on to the charts and putting Dallas on his back
BigXThaPlug always envisioned himself playing in the NFL, and now he is, just not in the way he imagined. His hit song “Texas” has quickly become a Lone Star State anthem. It’s garnered over 57M streams on Spotify and was recently synced by his hometown Dallas Cowboys as their team hype song. Though he’s not rocking a helmet or pads on Sundays, the rabid fans at AT&T Stadium know his name and feel his presence during the season as if he were on the field making plays. In addition, BigX also wrote the new XFL theme song for this past season: “BigXFL,” a motivational anthem that will have you ready to break tackles and dominate any obstacle standing in front of you.
The Dallas native, born Xavier Landum, never intended to be a rap star. His football dreams faded away once he was expelled from junior college in Minnesota for smoking weed. Down on his luck, He moved to Austin with no clear direction and no job. He turned to the streets to provide for his infant son and ran into a dead end. It wasn’t until he was locked up for burglary and aggravated robbery that he began to take music seriously. Understandably frustrated after missing his son’s first birthday, BigX’s anger got the best of him and he was sent into solitary confinement. With nothing around him but four walls and plenty of time to think, BigX decided to sharpen his writing skills and focus solely on his music career. He hasn’t let up since.
He released his debut album Amar in 2023 in partnership with UnitedMasters. The project, named after his son, has catapulted him into a new echelon: arguably the hottest rising rapper in Texas. He’s worked with established acts such as Offset and Maxo Kream, as well as fellow rising Texan, That Mexican OT. His commanding baritone voice, impeccable ear for beats and vivid storytelling sets him apart from his peers and has him heading straight for elite status. BigX, known for confidently flaunting his rotund belly and glacial ice, also displays a playfulness and charm that's easy for fans to gravitate towards. In the music video for “Whip It,” X can be seen rocking a 70s-style wig and dancing in a “Soul Train” line while effortlessly gliding over a sample of Dazz Band’s “Let it Whip.”
Instead of resting after a successful debut, X went right back to work. He capitalized on his massive momentum by dropping a follow up EP in December called The Biggest. One of the standouts from the project is the smash hit “Mmhmm.” The song, a 2-minute victory lap, is a masterclass in flexing on your haters. Once again, X dazzled over a groovy 70s soul sample: The Whispers’ “And the Beat Goes On” (famously used by Will Smith on “Miami”). This time, he earned a spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is currently at #75.
Though he reps Dallas proudly, his style is reminiscent of the syrupy smooth Chopped n Screwed flows of mid-aughts Houston rappers such as Mike Jones and Z-Ro. In previous eras, there was tension between Dallas and Houston rappers, as the talent in the latter city rose to national prominence while their Dallas counterparts were often overlooked. BigX is on a mission to make sure that narrative stays in the past as he believes in a unified rap scene across the whole state.
Listen to The Biggest here and license from BigXThaPlug to soundtrack your next project.
