Underground Texas Hip-Hop artistry

By Thomas Stevens

Rap/Hip-hop Journalist

The creation of hip-hop occurred in the early 1970s in Brooklyn, New York. Back in 1979, The Sugarhill Gang was bringing a whole new culture and style to America. Although, the birthplace of the new genre was New York, many other states started to take notice and began to make their own renditions of the sound.

The sound that was drastically different from New York boom-bap rap came from the south. The south introduced a much slower tempo and cadence when it came to lyrical delivery and more melodic tracks. Texas became well known for applying these attributes to a high standard, coming from pioneers such as Pimp C, Zero, Slim Thug and DJ Screw.

These pioneers created and participated in the Chopped and Screwed sub-genre of hip-hop made for Texas by Texas and forced it to become a staple of the hip-hop community. Today, Texas rappers still allude to their southern roots while trying to carve another path of greatness. Here are a few Texas artists with the potential to change the trajectory of hip-hop.

Introducing Pierce Washington, the dynamic rap sensation from Dallas, Texas! With relentless determination and unmatched talent, Pierce is poised to conquer the hip-hop scene. His authentic storytelling and captivating beats set him apart making him Dallas’ newest rap royalty. Get ready to groove to the sounds of the Lone Star State as Pierce Washington takes center stage displaying the unique blend of Southern twang and lyrical prowess that is set to ignite the world!

One of my favorite tracks by Pierce Washington is “Bills” off his latest album Past Due, available on all streaming platforms. “Bills” takes anyone listening on a rollercoaster ride through a plethora of emotions as well as sounds. The song has a 5:41 minute runtime, and Washington does not waste a second.

“Bills” consists of two different beat switches, and it is on the last half of the album. The instrumental complements the song in the south with a smooth female vocal over the bridge. With it being a deep cut in nature, Washington decides to reflect on a relationship that was in the past. His flow gains more momentum as the song continues, giving listeners something new every 30 seconds. The topic is normal in the hip-hop space nowadays, but Washington flips the script and raps about what money can do to a relationship. Great song overall, give it a listen.

The new producer BlanketBoi from Blanket, Texas, begins to take over Texas with an immense amount of persistence matched with quality that most cannot keep up with. Blankets sound is impossible to replicate, hence why he will be one of the most profound coming from the south. BlanketBoi’s beats demand your attention with groovy basslines and unorthodox drum patterns that could make anyone bounce. Blanket has a gigantic pool of artists to work with coming from Texas, including Chessnotcheckers, Roy Trilogy, Forty86, Lui B and Napps. Blanketboi melts his sound into the artist while giving the artist the space to create their own interpretation of the instrumental.

The endless amount of versatility will keep Texas in the hip-hop chair. With the help of bigger names such as Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion and Beyonce, Texas will always be known for their contributions to the culture.