Joshua Davis
Audio By Carbonatix
It’s safe to say the seemingly universal love for BigXThaPlug wouldn’t be what it is without Dallas roots. On Friday night, that homegrown love was palpable as he celebrated his 28th birthday, performing in front of thousands at Dos Equis Pavilion, yet he still vividly remembers the days when he performed only for a handful of friends. At Friday’s show, he wasn’t BigXThaPlug; he was Xavier Landum.
“I remember those shows when it was just me,” the hip-hop breakout said after the DJ told him people were waiting in line for his birthday bash.
Acknowledging those early days, he told the crowd, “Listen, I am BigX… Damn that, I am Xavier Darnell Landum. I come from Dallas, Texas. I didn’t want to be no rapper. This shit happened, you know what I’m sayin’? I had a son, I had to figure this shit out. And this is what we did. I went from shows where it was only five people – me and my own partners in it. Wasn’t nobody in that bitch. And here we are, right now, over 10,000 people in the Dos Equis Pavilion, right now.”
BigXThaPlug and Friends: Birthday Bash was billed as an all-star concert featuring buzzworthy new artists, X’s best friends and his own personal favorites. Aside from BigX himself – in between chanting “happy birthday” sporadically throughout the night – the crowd seemed particularly reactive to artists like YKNiece, Montana 700 and OTB Fastlane. Sexyy Red and That Mexican OT, though initially billed, were absent.
The show opened with impressive sets from X’s 600 Entertainment artists and his longtime collaborator, DJ Bubba. KevGotBandz opened things up with his well-known hit song, “Ain’t Slowin’ Down.” KaineMusic represented women in the industry with her progressive rap and notable hit, “Who Dun It.” Fort Worth’s PB delivered undeniable street music, while Yung Hood showcased his impressive wordplay. Ro$ama stole the show early on with his high energy and infectious crowd engagement. It was clear that with this lineup, BigX wanted to remind us he’s ardently committed to ensuring that Texas is next up.
Having only left the stage twice during the night, he began performing immediately after his label’s artists, a testament to the connection he cherishes with them.
Joshua Davis
The homecoming show also put the magnitude of BigX’s ascent in recent years in full frame. After gaining major traction in 2022 with his breakout song “Texas,” – which became a new state anthem of sorts – he has since gone on to become one of the most celebrated hip-hop artists to ever come out of North Texas, with nearly a dozen RIAA gold and platinum certifications in just four years.
BigX has long been vocal about the importance of family and friends and how that shapes his music. Performing “Therapy Session” on Friday, he credited his children with inspiring him to pursue music.
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, ” he told the crowd as his son was holding his hand. “I love you, son.”
Atop a signature X statue, BigX was also joined by singer Jake Troth and the 600 Entertainment band to perform their collaboration “Change Me.”
Of course, he wasn’t gonna move through the night without the most commanding cuts in his catalog.
“We’re in Dallas, Texas, so you know what that means,” BigX told the crowd as he launched into ‘Back On My BS.’ “What the fuck that mean, Bubba? Hands up. Dallas, Texas. See, I’m back on my bullshit.”
Gone Country
The usual BigXThaPlug set has no guest appearances. But this was his birthday, so he and DJ Bubba switched up the flow for surprise after surprise.
“I know we got a whole bunch of songs on this list, but don’t try me,” DJ Bubba told BigX. “Let’s bring out a fuckin’ friend, real quick. Your best fuckin’ friend.” BigX quickly replied, “My best friend? I know you’re not talking about mister motherfuckin’ Shaboozey.”
BigX and Shaboozey’s bond began as both were rising, eventually leading them to collaborate on Shaboozey’s “Drink Don’t Need No Mix Remix.” That link-up also allowed the Dallas native to bolster his successful transition into country music with “Home,” which, if you’ll recall, saw the two artists shut down the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge for the song’s music video filmed last summer.
Joshua Davis
BigX wasn’t the only one celebrating Friday, either.
”It’s Taurus season,” Shaboozey told an eruptive crowd as he sang his record-breaking single “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
The crowd then sang “Happy Birthday” to Shaboozey, whose birthday is also May 9, before he left the stage.
The show wouldn’t have truly captured BigX’s impressive, genre-defying run without fully leaning into his country era. He recently went viral for singing Ella Langley’s inescapable “Choosin’ Texas” single at Stagecoach last month. On Friday night, he continued the trend by playfully calling Langley his “fiancée” before moving into their collaboration, “Hell At Night” from last year’s I Hope You’re Happy.
He concluded the country block of the setlist with his biggest song in the genre, “All The Way.” Before performing the song, he told the crowd, “The country song that went number-one country and number-one hip-hop. Top of Billboard for a couple of weeks. Got put in the Country Hall of Fame.”
New Dallas, Same BigX
BigX never forgets his roots, though. He went on to thank DFW for its early support by recognizing those who died since he took off, and the New Dallas Movement in the greater Dallas hip-hop scene.
“I’m from the city, this shit means so much to me,” he said on Friday. “Like, if it wasn’t for some of these people we’re about to bring out, I wouldn’t even be here. With that being said, I’ma let these fallen soldiers take the stage because this is BigXThaPlug and friends, and some of these people that’re going to be on this screen, they were my friends, that’s the only reason I’m here.”
The tribute paid respects to slain rappers G$ Lil Ronnie, Mo3, BFG Straap and ZeeTheWizard. The New Dallas set began honoring ZeeTheWizard before the sub-genre’s leading artists, Headhuncho Amir, Montana 700 and Zillionaire Doe, each performed their own respective songs.
BigX then shifted gears by turning Dos Equis Pavilion into a “gangsta party” after the tribute. He performed “6WA” and “600 Degrees,” both from his compilation album released in March, which is inspired by ’90s West Coast gangsta rap.
Joshua Davis
R&B also got its shine, as artists K Camp, Lo, Shimmy and genre icon Keyshia Cole wowed the crowd with lovelorn cuts – BigX would eventually “fan out” while he and Cole performed a duet of the latter’s R&B classic, “Love.”
“So a lot of people don’t know this shit about me, right?” BigX told the crowd. “Even though BigXThaPlug is a rapper; a country artist, my favorite thing to listen to is R&B music. I get in the car, you gon hear some Avant, you’re gonna hear some goddamn – I don’t give a damn what y’all say – y’all gon hear some R. Kelly, you gon hear some motherfuckin’ Usher, some Fantasia, some Isley Brothers. So, listen, it was only right that I have an R&B segment.”
The segment ended with him showcasing his signature dance moves as he transitioned back to the hip-hop-heavy setlist. From “Climate” to “Whip It” to “Mmmhmm,” the remainder of the set was an audible highlight reel for the crowd, which sang along word for word from then on.
Toward the end came the evening’s most personal moment, when BigX’s said the show nearly faced cancellation.
“Let me tell y’all something, they tried to cancel this concert,” he said. “I said ‘Damn that,’ ain’t no way my city ain’t going not come see me.’ Who the hell is they talking about? BigX in the building. They can’t stop this shit if they wanted to.”
Closing out the night in true BigX form (shirtless with a cowboy hat), he roared into the most anticipated songs of the night, “Texas” and “The Largest.”
As he ended the show with an “I love you,” to the hometown crowd, we were beaming with Dallas pride, as we truly felt like we were celebrating the birthday of a loved one.
The last year saw BigX evolving into more than a rapper from Dallas, and Friday night shone an undeniable spotlight on the fact that he is now a certified pop star. We were just grateful to help him blow out the candles on that.
