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Putting the BigX in Xanadu: Texas’ BigXthaPlug Takes Brooklyn at Billboard’s Hip-Hop Live

The event saw Amazon Music's latest Breakthrough Artist hit the stage

Putting the “X” in Xanadu was BigXthaPlug, Dallas’ homegrown real one with the booming voice and no-holds bars, who’s not only seen his career blow up in a short couple of years, but was recently named Amazon Music’s latest Breakthrough Artist. He hasn’t looked back, and is currently topping Amazon Music’s Rap Rotation, thanks to his latest, another typically rowdy plus-sized flex that picks up where The Biggest left off: “The Largest.” It takes aim at his detractors, has its indulgences – “30K on my wrist for the hard times” but also talks of just building the simple necessities: “Told my BM to furnish the crib / Walk out the mall with some shoes for the kids.” “The Largest” came five songs into Friday night’s show and the fact that most of the audience immediately knew the relatively new tune was another promising sign of BigX’s endurance, as “The Largest” is the first taste of BigX’s second full-length, rumored to be out this fall. Officially released nearly a year ago, in October of 2023 (it had already had significant club play before), its basis is The Whispers’ 1979 “And The Beat Goes On.” Nineties heads may remember the song as also sampled in Will Smith’s hit “Miami,” but these days it’s all BigX’s, and the opening notes gave the Hip-Hop Livecrowd on hand an extra jolt – they joined the rapper on every word, including the call-and-response, “Uhhuh!” and “Mmhmm!” chorus.

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