Alternating smoothly-sung melodies with snapping double-time flows, That Mexican OT is the total package. Today, the Billboard-charting Houston-area rapper digs deep into his cultural heritage, sharing Lonestar Luchador, his new album. A concept album that draws parallels between the rap game and the high-flying world of Mexican wrestling, Lonestar Luchador is an ambitious effort that incorporates a world of wide-ranging influences and sharp pop cultural references into OT’s Texas-fried sound. The new album is home to “Johnny Dang,” OT’s Paul Wall and DRODi-featuring breakout hit, which recently made its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at #97.
“Johnny Dang” merely scratches the surface of the 18-track Lonestar Luchador. The new album is stacked with Houston-style trap anthems, including the furious Maxo Kream duet “Opp Or 2,” and the chopped-n-screwed lothario’s anthem “OMG,” but the Bay City, Texas native (or as he calls it, “Be Careful Texas”) has many more tricks up his sleeve. Recently-released single “Barrio” ft. Lefty SM (which racked up 1.1 million YouTube views and placed in the Top 10 of YouTube’s Trending chart) is a bilingual banger, borrowing acoustic guitar, guitarrón (six-string Mexican bass) and a waltz time signature from regional Mexican corridos. “Cowboy In New York” transposes OT’s soulfully-accented stick talk to a classic Queensbridge sound, while the playful “Cowboy Killa” is an old school murder ballad, mixing plonking pianos with thumping 808s to create a Lonestar State supervillain’s anthem. Featuring additional guest appearances from BigXThaPlug and Big Yavo, with production from Bankroll Got It, Jonnyshipes, and more, Lonestar Luchador is available everywhere via Manifest/GoodTalk/Good Money Global.
Along with the album, That Mexican OT shares “Breannan,” a new music video for a Lonestar Luchador highlight. Backed by clean guitar arpeggios and crisp snares, OT tells the story of a recent breakup, recounting his pain after he found out his girlfriend cheated on him with one of his close friends. The song is a showcase for OT’s soulful singing, as he pours his heart into his gritty, Texas-accented melodies: “God couldn’t even make the perfect woman for me/Until somebody hold me down, I’m out here running these streets.” In the video, directed by OT’s frequent collaborator DGreen Filmz, OT fronts a Tex-Mex band as he burns pictures of his ex and determines to push forward and leave his heartbreak behind. The video for “Breannan” releases at 12pm ET on That Mexican OT’s YouTube channel.
Lonestar Luchador arrives hot on the heels of “Johnny Dang,” That Mexican OT’s breakout hit, released earlier this summer. First gathering heat as a snippet on TikTok and Instagram (generating over 11 million views across the two platforms), “Johnny Dang” has become a sensation, garnering over 19 million Spotify streams and 12 million YouTube views in just six weeks. The Paul Wall and Drodi-featuring song has spent weeks in the top ten of Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50 chart, and just this week, hit a new #97 peak on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Johnny Dang” also placed at No. 18 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs and rose from No. 35 to No. 26 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. That Mexican OT is currently the cover artist for Spotify’s “Most Necessary” Playlist, which features both “Johnny Dang” and “Barrio.”
With “Johnny Dang” climbing charts, “Barrio” crossing boundaries, and Lonestar Luchador on deck, That Mexican OT is ready leap from the top rope. Stay tuned as OT bursts out of the Houston scene to take over the mainstream.
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
