“I’m A Cowboy Before Anything Else”: An MM Exclusive With That Mexican OT

That Mexican OT is a one of one artist. The rapper has risen to the upper echelons of his profession thanks to his inimitable style, rolling his R’s and delivering personal, humorous bars whilst representing both the Texas and Mexican community simultaneously. After breaking through thanks to his 2023 project, ‘Lonestar Luchador’, the artist has gained both critical acclaim and a cult following thanks to his bold personality and elite musical capability.

In the build up to his latest release, ‘Texas Technician’, I sat down with OT to discuss his Texas upbringing, his mindset after breaking through, and whether Texas Rap and Hip-Hop gets the credit that it deserves:

You started rapping at an early age, right?

Yeah, I was just surrounded by it. If you’re a baby and everyone is doing karate then you’re gonna learn karate. My uncle and my cousin rapped. I was in the hood so everybody was either listening to Rap or trying to rap.

And you grew up in Bay City, Texas. How do you think that’s shaped you musically?

It’s the country but it’s the ghetto too, so it’s literally everything I stand on. It’s everything to me and the pioneer of me. You can see a dude in some J’s and some Levi’s and a polo but he’s gonna get on a horse and ride that motherfucker quick! We like looking fresh too, you know what I’m saying? We’re only an hour and a half away from Houston so we fall right in line with the family, but at the same time we’re just a small little country town.

When did you start seeing Rap as a career path for you?

Probably like a year and a half ago.

What led you to that decision?

I just saw it working and I was like, ‘Fuck it. Come On – I guess this is what it’s gonna be.’

You then started releasing projects around 2020. What do you think has changed in your music from that moment to now?

I stopped rapping. Like I learned what the difference was between rapping and making music, and I started making music.

Who would you say helped you in making that discovery?

My homeboy Greg: Greg Gates. He was just saying to me, ‘You rapping right now lil Bro. You have to figure out what makes good songs good.’ He definitely didn’t tell me what the difference was, but he showed me that there was a difference.

Was that change easy for you?

Hell yeah. All I had to do was start making it more melodic and start singing more. I could spit bars all day, and I keep the bars in my music too, but you’ve got to be able to make it a head bopper. You’ve got to make somebody move. With my music, even if you don’t like it you’re still going to move to that motherfucker.

And your last release, ‘Lonestar Luchador’. Can you talk to me about that title?

That’s exactly what I am. I’m a lonestar luchador, you know what I’m saying? I’m from Texas but the luchador thing is some other shit, but it shows that I’m family oriented first and I’m a superhero now.

On that record it’s broken up by a lot of comedic skits. Is that kind of humorous aspect to your music intentional?

Hell yeah, I mean I like being funny. I feel like laughter is a good thing for the spirit. Everybody wants to laugh and everybody wants to be in a good mood. Good music, good vibes, smoking weed with a bad bitch. I feel like my music is perfect for all of that. 

Do you kind of see yourself as not just a rapper but an entertainer as well?

It’s more than Rap. There’s lots more characters in me. I unlock characters every day – even in my music videos people think I’ve got directors and stuff but this is all in my brain. It’s all me – like it all comes so naturally to me. It’s not that I’m better or anything, it’s literally because it’s what I want to do and I actually love it. I do it for the love of it. 

One of the songs on that record, ‘Johnny Dang’, has completely taken off. How has that track changed things for you?

To me that song has gotten old and it’s honestly a little annoying to me now (laughs). But I will say this – that song has put me in a position in life that I never thought I’d be in and I’m forever grateful for that song. I love that song because it’s something I created, but I’m working on new music every day so people don’t know what I’ve got coming – even some of the stuff that hasn’t dropped yet I don’t want to hear it because I’m working on new stuff. Having said that, I know what Johnny Dang has done for me already and it’s cool as fuck. I mean, ain’t nothing changed about me. I’m just in a better situation and I got a bit more money now. 

How have you managed to adapt and keep your feet on the ground after this success?

It’s easy to be that way. You’ve just got to be a good person. Do you know why people start switching up? It’s because people never had any power. If you’ve never had it you don’t know how to work with it, so it changes people. I’m not saying I’ve had power but I’ve always known how to work people. That was my power. 

My father always drilled into my head that he didn’t care if I failed or succeeded, he just wanted me to be a good person. Hold the door open for somebody, tell somebody they look good. Find the reasons to believe in somebody and find reasons to make somebody else believe in themselves. The world’s going to see that shit and you’re going to be blessed for it, bro. It’s crazy to me because I don’t even know how I’m talking to you but this music shit is all I know and I go so hard at it. Not only do I go hard but I’m also a good person so you have no choice but to respect me because I come so correct.

What’s your opinion on Texas Rap and do you see yourself as a frontrunner in it right now?

Texas Rap has been way more than the early 2000’s. Everybody loves Texas Rap and everybody loves Texas but nobody ever wants us to get our shine or recognition. Lil Wayne is considered one of the greatest of all time and he’s from Louisiana, but he was reciting Big Moe bars and sippin’ drank! And then he brought a Canadian to Texas who started talking about how much he loved Houston strippers, drinking lean and riding slabs. That’s all Texas shit! Now both of these dudes are considered some of the greatest all time and they came up off of Texas. 

Nobody wants to give us our recognition but that’s why I’m here. Anybody you see now wearing a cowboy hat? Those are my sons, bro. Nobody was repping  Texas like that before me, everybody was repping their hood. ‘I’m from Southside’, or ‘I’m from Eighth St’. That’s cool, but I’m from fucking Texas. Nobody was really doing that before me.

That comes through in your music as well with songs like ‘Cowboy Killer’…

And not only is this real music, I’m a cowboy before anything else. A lot of these motherfuckers are playing dress up too. It’s like it’s Halloween and they’re cosplaying. I’m a true cowboy – I’ve been on ranches helping cows give birth. I’ve helped build fences with my people my entire life. This is what I do – I just happen to be good at rapping. 

And you’re taking it upon yourself to not only represent Texas but also the Mexican community. That must come with a level of responsibility?

Yeah it’s very important. You aren’t going to find another Mexican like me. I’m a southern Mexican and we fall in line with every race because Texas is like a big ass pot of gumbo, you see what I’m saying? I represent everybody and that’s what’s important. My race just comes along with it because that’s what I am. 

You’ve also managed to work with some big artists recently, from Paul Wall to Dababy. What was that experience like for you?

Paul Wall was crazy because that was one of my heroes. To be able to come back home and tell people that I got a song with Paul Wall was like coming home with the lion’s head. Working with Dababy as well I got a new level of respect for him. He was very commendable and respectable in dealing with an artist like myself. 

What are your interests outside of music?

I like my video games, I like getting high. I love going out to the country and riding. I also like fishing and hunting, that’s probably what I‘ll say I like doing the most.

Just finally, what are your plans going forward?

Just more music, more creativity and more success. I’m dropping a project on March 1st called ‘Texas Technician’, then after that I’m gonna jump on the road and do a tour. 

Thanks for your time!

Blessings to you, man. May God be with you and I’ll keep you in my prayers. Have a wonderful day ■

That Mexican OT’s latest release, ‘Texas Technician’, is available now.