Audio By Carbonatix
A few weeks ago, I was invited to Luminous Sound Studio for an advanced listen of HeadHuncho Amir’s 50 Year Run. It was a private media event for the East Dallas rapper’s second release of 2025. There was a mix of family, friends, industry shakers and movers stuffed into the studio room to hear tracks and give him live feedback.
Amir’s tagline from his buzzing single “Motivate the City” is “tryna motivate the city, put this shit together.” It got the attention of Gillie and Wallo, who brought their Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast to see what New Dallas was about. The community answered the call, banding as one to uplift our next rap star.
If you’ve been reading our music coverage, the New Dallas movement is a group of rappers pushing positivity and unity. The artists using the hashtag (#NewDallas) have put a spotlight on Dallas street rap from neighborhoods like Frazier Street, where Amir is from. Those curious can look at the recent artists who have signed to major labels, building up the visibility of Dallas as the next hotbed of talent.
Shortly after I wrote about Amir in May, it was announced that he signed with 300 Entertainment, and the story was featured in the Observer. Corey Cleghorn of Urban Specialists, who also works closely with Amir, DM’ed me on Instagram, letting me know Amir featured that week’s story in his video for “10 Figures.” It’s a good feeling to know that the music community embraces us. We made history as the first newspaper in a New Dallas music video.
Zillionaire Doe and Montana 700, the other names at the forefront of New Dallas, were also present for Amir’s mixtape release party, showing these guys move as a unit. I met HollyHood Bay Bay, who told me he read my article on Webbie. Amir’s main producer Ziggymadeit was hanging out nearby.
Amir’s father Antong Lucky welcomed us and said we should applaud the parents in the industry who support their kids pursuing a career in hip-hop. He made jokes that if he had a little too much to drink and said something out of line, he had both his lawyers here for legal representation. He said that “Dallas has the rock right now,” reaffirming that the New Dallas movement is just the first wave of attention that adds to Dallas hip-hop’s legacy after D-Town Boogie.
As Amir played through the tape, people started to repeat some of his lyrics and a few of us told him to run back a few songs. A cameraman was shooting everything, capturing Amir rap along to “Every Time” and seeing everyone’s delight that we knew he had another hit in his hands. See if you can spot one Observer music editor in the recap below.
HeadHuncho Amir Is on a 50 Year Run
On Oct. 17 (1017 for all my Gucci Mane fans out there), Amir dropped 50 Year Run. Weeks later, I’m listening again with fresh ears. On the title track, he boasts that “Big Amir” is here to stay and will set the tone. To do the math, a 50-year run means he’ll be in his 70s and still rapping. That’s a Jay-Z level of dedication to the rap game, as part of making it is the time you put into your craft.
For the next 15 tracks, Amir confidently backs up his claim that the tape has no skips, picking up where he left off on Still Ain Nun Bigger. The production mirrors his last project, recreating the sounds of early 2000s southern hip-hop for Amir to rap over. The New Dallas sound is bringing back the energy of when Cash Money and No Limit were staying fly and popping their shit. That’s heard on tracks like “50 Year Run” and “In Real Life” with Zillionaire Doe, where the Jeezy influence is all over. It’s clear Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 was in heavy rotation for them.
For other guest appearances, Amir taps into the Midwest, expanding his reach with Peezy (“Layaway”) and 414JungleBaby (“Rude”). Amir and Lil Jairmy make a Dallas and Houston connection on “Anticap.” While Amir has more features for this tape, he stands out the most on his solo songs.
On “Genes,” he has one of the best lines from the tape, rapping, “I’m a real D-Boy, this shit is in my genes / Before I eat with fake people, I eat with dope feens.”
Every Time Amir Drops, the Streets Go Crazy
Amir flips Shop Boyz’ “Party Like a Rock Star” for two minutes of straight bars on “Every Time.” The song’s video was shot at a mansion filled with beautiful women and cameos by Doe, Montana and Himothy Chung, just in case you needed to know how they like to party.
Amir doubles down on the persona he cultivated in his early days, reflecting on being an ex-trap star on songs like “Type of Time” and “Trap Again.”
The last song, “Staring at the Wall,” is the most revealing of Amir’s focus. From day one, he’s been telling his family he’s going to make it. To hear him rap about being broke and going through different financial phases to be booked up for shows is inspiring for anyone following his journey. Amir’s walking out with SMU football at games and making appearances at this year’s State Fair Classic. He’s getting co-signs from local hit makers. It’s year one of his 50-year run and he’s the hardest outta Dallas right now.
