That Mexican OT
Birth nameVirgil Rene Gazca[1]
Born (1999-02-02) February 2, 1999[2]
Bay City, Texas, U.S.
GenresSouthern Hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2020-present
LabelsManifest / GoodTalk / Good Money / Interscope
Websitethatmexicanot.net

Virgil René Gazca, known professionally as That Mexican OT, is a Mexican-American rapper from Bay City, Texas. He is best known for his single "Johnny Dang". The song appears on his major-label debut album Lonestar Luchador, released in July 2023. That Mexican OT's music takes influence from hip-hop and Chicano rap.

Early life

Virgil René Gazca was born in Bay City, Texas in 1999.[1][3] His mother, Sophia Ann Gazca, was killed in a drunk driving accident in 2007. His father was incarcerated when Gazca was a child.[4] Shelby Stewart of the Houston Chronicle stated that Gazca "faced the hardships of life in the ghetto...faced betrayal from his own kin, and he’s even had his own battle with drug abuse."[4]

Career

As a performer, Gazca adopted the stage name That Mexican OT, short for "Outta Texas".[1] After graduating high school, Gazca began recording hip-hop songs independently for online release.[3] This led to him releasing a number of mixtapes in the early 2020s, including South Texas Project (2020), Southside Steppin (2021), 1 Double 0 (2021), and Nonsense and Mexican Shit (2022).[2] His independent releases and remixes of other artists' material led to him gaining further exposure.[3]

He released his next album Lonestar Luchador on July 28, 2023 through Good Money Global. The album includes his breakthrough single "Johnny Dang". The song is a reference to the jeweler Johnny Dang, and features guest appearances by Paul Wall and Drodi. Upon release, the song went to number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving both That Mexican OT and Drodi their first chart appearances.[5] In addition, the song's music video was played over 20 million times on YouTube and the song itself streamed over 36 million times on Spotify.[1] Lonestar Luchador charted at number 59 on the Billboard 200 upon release.[6] Nadine Smith of Pitchfork described the album as "a brightly colored spectacle, a freestyle brawl of rap styles and regional flavors."[7] Collaborators on Lonestar Luchador include Ralph Barbosa Jr., BigXthaPlug, Lefty Sm, Maxo Kream, and Big Yavo.[3]

Following the release of "Johnny Dang", That Mexican OT began a 20-city tour of the United States in October 2023.[8]

Artistry

Gazca was influenced by a number of musicians in his youth, ranging from rapper Big L to country singer George Strait.[3] He told Shelby Stewart of the Houston Chronicle that he had wanted to be a rapper since he was four years old, and would sing along to rap videos he saw on 106 & Park.[4] He also thought that his music showed influence of his Texan and Mexican ancestry through the lyrics of songs such as "Hardest Ese Ever".[4] David Crone of AllMusic wrote of That Mexican OT's style that it contains "bold lyricism and a relentless flow while melding trap and mariachi guitars".[3] Billboard similarly stated that Lonestar Luchador contained Tejano music influences as well as hip-hop.[1] Gazca told Billboard that the inspiration for the song "Johnny Dang" was the works of Slick Rick, and that the album's title was inspired by lucha libre, a Mexican style of wrestling.[1] Additionally, Gazca has a tattoo of a luchador mask on his hand.[4]

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
US[6]
Lonestar Luchador 59

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with selected details
Title Mixtape details
South Texas Project
  • Released: June 5, 2020
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Southside Steppin
  • Released: October 22, 2021
  • Label: Manifest Music Group
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
1 Double 0
  • Released: December 17, 2021
  • Label: Manifest Music Group
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Nonsense and Mexican Shit
  • Released: August 26, 2022
  • Label: Manifest, GoodTalk, Good Money, Interscope
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
The Show Must Go On (with Saxkboy KD)
  • Released: March 3, 2023
  • Label: Cash Money Records
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming

Singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions		 Album
US US Hip Hop
2023 "Johnny Dang"
(with Paul Wall and Drodi)		 65 19 Lonestar Luchador

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "How That Mexican OT Is Putting Tejano Rap on the Map With 'Johnny Dang'". Billboard. August 29, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Gee, Andre. "Rapper That Mexican OT is Living His Dreams Earlier Than He Imagined". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 David Crone. "That Mexican OT biography". AllMusic. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Stewart, Shelby. "That Mexican OT is carving his path as a trailblazing voice of Texas rap". chron.com. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "Hot 100 First-Timers: That Mexican OT & DRODi Debut With Paul Wall Collab 'Johnny Dang'". Billboard.
  6. 1 2 Billboard 200, 8/26/2023
  7. ↑ Nadine Smith (August 11, 2023). "Lonestar Luchador". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ "His shows are chaotic good. Get ready to feed off That Mexican OT's energy". De Los. October 6, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
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