Breakout Dallas rap star BigXthaPlug brought his gritty, Southern energy to the desert this weekend, as he took over Coachella’s Gobi Stage on Sunday and collabed with Amazon Music for his very own “The Plug Shop” — a real-life, Southern Luxury pit stop that took over Quick & Easy Convenience in Indio, California.
Earlier this month, Big X dropped his first-ever country single, “All The Way,” with Bailey Zimmerman, a track that blends Southern hip-hop and raw country emotion. “Right now, it’s projected to go No. 4 on Billboard with no radio!” Big tells us of the track. “I love my fans. I love the good fans I got. We’re just going all the way with this one, obviously. We gotta go No. 1. I’m just happy to see the country lane accepting me for who I am.” At the time of publishing, “All The Way” officially hit No. 1.
After his set, PAPER caught up with BixthaPlug backstage — as his friend and fellow Coachella performer Shaboozey left his trailer and not long after performed at an overflowing stage. “I feel like my Coachella performance was one for the books, for sure,” Big X says. “I’ve seen something earlier, a caption that said, ‘Coachella wasn’t big enough for Big X.’ We come in with the same attitude at every show. Biggest smile, walk a mile. I just love that we’re gonna be playing the big stages from now on.”
Bigger stages are definitely in the works for Big X, who is also teasing a new country project. “It’s country-based, it’s country-themed,” he says. “But it’s still me. I’m still doing and being me. We got Jelly Roll on there, Post [Malone] is supposed to be coming through for me, we got Bailey Zimmerman, of course, Shaboozey. Hopefully, we can take that one all the way, as well.”
When asked about a rising star he’s most excited about at this point in his career, Big X points to himself. “Just my growth,” he says. “I’m most excited about sharing my growth with my fans. I feel like I opened up more with my fans. It’s like we won now. I don’t have just fans. I got them like Beyoncé got the Beehive, Megan Thee Stallion got the Hotties. I got my Plugs and my Sockets or whatever you call them. My family.”
Below, Big X takes us through his Coachella experience, including moments with his Plugs and Sockets, because, as he told us before we signed off on Coachella day three: “To the fans, to the PAPER fans, I love y’all.”
Big love to Amazon Music — linkin’ up for “Tha Plug Stop” right before Coachella was major. Brought that Texas flavor to Cali — BBQ, big vibes and nothin’ but real Plug energy.
Honored to be named Amazon Music’s Breakout Artist of the Year — They got me right by giving me an LV suitcase. Appreciate y’all.
I love my young fans, for real. Ain’t nothin’ like seein’ the lil ones rockin’ wit’ the music — that’s love right there. Y’all the future.
Cookin’ up somethin’ nasty for that 6SixersChella — gettin’ locked in before we shake the desert up.
Gotta show love to my artists Ro$ama, Yung Hood and Murda Gang PB — I appreciate y’all for believin’ in the vision and ridin’ wit’ me. We locked in.
Me and my brotha Shaboozey, posted up before I shook Coachella 2025 — real Dallas energy.
Had to pop out Coachella-ready. You know I had to bust down somethin’ special for the weekend — this just the beginning.
Gettin’ ready for Coachella — had to get right.
It was cool gettin’ to experience Coachella wit’ Meta — we out here makin’ moves.
CAPTION 11:
Steppin’ out on the 6ixerchela stage — that moment was somethin’ different. Felt surreal.
Photography Isabelle Dunhour-Rojas Respective, Natasha Campos