“Texas/Paris/Arkansas” by Leirbag X.O., TRIPPSMITH, and Dnxy San not only throws away the mold but also burns it. An internationalist alliance is born from three corners of the earth (industrial rap from the American South and the buttery RnB from Paris). It’s a dreamy sound yet futuristic, rooted in emotion but informed by fierce intention.
The three come from different time zones, but their musical chemistry is spot on. The Paris-based producer and artist Leirbag X.O. builds it on a beat that rides and grows. The production starts with a laid-back, silky R&B feel and gradually becomes a more assertive, percussion-rich hip-hop vibe towards the middle, a questionably bad-ass beat switch-up that emerges organically, all without feeling forced.
The song is fundamentally about having an internal conversation rather than being sidetracked by everything else. Each verse asks you to dig deep to take ownership of their growth, peace, and purpose. Refreshing an artist makes keeping the depth without getting caught up in flow a priority. The track glides across genres like second nature, blending soulful melodies with razor-sharp lyricism in an earnest, not contrived way.
TRIPPSMITH and Dnxy San (from Texas & Arkansas) add grit and slick confidence to their verses. Their deliveries are introspective but not preachy and conjure the spirit of Mac Miller, the very inspiration of the track. Like Miller’s work, “Texas/Paris/Arkansas” is intimate and soul-searching, drawing us in rather than pulling us forward.
The cross-continental collaboration blends impeccable styles, and three artists are pushing each other creatively and coming out stronger for having done it. The beat switch is cinematic and full, making the track a whole piece. “Texas/Paris/Arkansas” is a thesis, a refresher course in all that is real, progressive, and self-aware in music, no matter where one roots it. This song should not only be heard but felt.
Connect with Leirbag X.O. on Instagram – @gabcn78
Follow Leirbag X.O. on Spotify
Follow TRIPPSMITH on Spotify
Follow Dnxy San on Spotify
