HOUSTON — The Houston sound is unapologetically Houston, just like three of it’s biggest stars: Willie D of the Geto Boys, Lil’ KeKe, and Bun B a.k.a. The Trill O.G.
All three artists came together for an exclusive interview with KHOU 11 News Anchor Mia Gradney at Off The Record, a listening lounge and bar in Downtown Houston with a vintage vinyl aesthetic.
“This is three generations of hip-hop,” shared Bun B. “This is first generation 80s into the 90s,” said Bun referring to Willie D. “Second generation 90s into the 2000’s,” Bun said of himself. “And this is third generation 2000s to 2010,” he said about Lil’ KeKe.
“Houston rap family? Is that how you would characterize it?” Gradney asked the trio of rap artists.
“Absolutely,” said Bun B. “I look to Will as an OG, as uncle, so to speak. I would say the same of KeKe. He probably looks up to me in that same regard and there are many rappers who look up to him in that regard.”
All three represent Houston and the Houston sound hard. They said the city had to stand out from the start when it came to music.
“Before we put Geto Boys out, people really still thought we were riding around on horses and wagons out here,” explained Willie D. “You know, people in Houston were just buying records, and we were very supportive of everybody. As long as it was hot, we were owning it, and at some point, we were like, we have something to say, too. So, we started chronicling our experiences, our Southern experiences in particular. We wasn't familiar with subways, we wasn't familiar with gangs and things like that. We didn't do that. So, we talked about the things that we did."
Neighborhoods and life in the streets drove the lyrics. It’s an entire culture with its own language. It is also a language that speaks to fans and music executives.
“With the cars, candy paint, and the swangas…it’s like a vibe,” shared record label executive G-Dash with Swishablast.
Derrick “D-Reck” Dixon founded Wreckshop Records.
“Once you step in the streets, you realize how powerful it was, how big the influence was," Dixon said.
Lil’ KeKe described how all the talk became about bumpers, kits, grillz, and elbows. All these colorful terms were names for car accessories, like rims.
Among the most talked about and rapped about rims are 4-4’s. The 4-4 has multiple meanings on the streets of Houston.
“You can be rollin’ on four 4-4’s but you can also come from the 4-4 which is Acres Homes,” Bun B explained while chuckling. “These terms work together. You can be holding slab in a slab riding on 4-4’s in the 4-4.”
There’s also the H-Town classic song, “Still Tippin” and those iconic lyrics, “still tippin on 4-4’s.”
Mia shared with the rappers how she still hears this 20-year-old song everywhere including barbecues, parties, and even Houston Texans games.
“That’s a testament to our culture. That’s what we’re explaining. There’s no other culture that’s going to continue to be the driving force of making these songs," Keke proudly boasted. “At the end of the day, good music is good music. If you just put it in pocket, if you got a good beat, you got good words, you got a nice hook, you know, you're saying something substantive. You know, people will respond and they'll reward you for it.”
Bun B said Houston artists genuinely like each other. There’s also mutual respect and admiration, with plenty to go around, for those no longer here like Bushwick Bill, Pimp C, Fat Pat and the legendary DJ screw who birthed a genre within rap. All these artists influenced other heavy hitters.
Rappers Paul Wall and Mike Jones were able to build their brands on the foundation already laid by pioneers of the sound. Collectively, they have cranked out so many classics.
While they’re admittedly no longer the youngest in the Houston rap game, they remain relevant.
Keke's working on a new album with some new sounds. Paul Wall's embarking on a Still Tippin’ Tour and Bun B will take the stage at the Houston rodeo for his All American Takeover.