By Kalena Reynolds | Reporter
From hip-hop to R&B to rap, Black musicians in Waco have the opportunity to spread their music to the town. Waco’s music scene has experienced a complete rebirth in the last 10 years, with artists sharing their stories of love, family, culture and self-expression.
During the 90s, multiple Black hip-hop groups emerged from the city. Groups like Third Eye Militia, Hi-Five and Verbal Seed were pioneers of hip-hop and Black artistry in Waco. Now, Black hip-hop artists are getting more recognition than ever.
Leaf Vxllage is a Black R&B and rap group in Waco established in 2021, featuring singer Khaliq.i.q and rapper Trey Galactica.
“Waco hasn’t always been the easiest town to develop a musical base in hip-hop,” Galactica said. “It’s probably only recently where hip-hop has really been embraced as something of the community that’s been able to be built up and fostered.”
Most of this newfound recognition is due to the growing popularity of “The Private Hip-Hop Podcast” founded by Pirscription, which regularly features Black hip-hop, R&B and rap artists from Waco and the surrounding areas.
“Pirscription has done a lot in that regard to help that or push that,” Galactica said. “I would simply suggest coming downtown. Downtown has a lot to offer. There are different establishments that local musicians can come in and pursue, like open mics.”
Spaces in Waco such as Truelove, Stay Classy Waco and Cultivate 7Twelve regularly showcase Black artists, helping them gain momentum for their careers.
Cory Ironside is a Black multi-genre musician from Waco who started recording music when he was 17 years old.
“There wasn’t really a big scene here in high school,” Ironside said. “It probably didn’t start coming on until probably right after COVID-19 hit, honestly. Before then, it was like you might hit or miss certain places here or there, but it was mostly like you had to drive to Killeen or to Dallas or to Austin to get some stuff going.”
In Waco, hip-hop artists have historically struggled to receive representation because venues wanted to hire artists who played instruments. After COVID-19, venues decided to expand on the artists they were showcasing and cater more to hip-hop culture, allowing hip-hop artists to curate a career and gain recognition without leaving Waco.
“One of the biggest things is just economic incentive,” Galactica said. “If there’s a proper economic incentive — whether it’s through grants or venues, or whether it’s just having a special place where people will just come around for the shows and for artists to be able to stay and remain local to a certain degree in Waco — then yeah it will be able to flourish.”
Venues have started hosting open mic nights and spoken word events, opening up many opportunities for artists who are just starting out to get recognized.
“There’s a bunch of opportunities here in Waco for you to be seen, and then get you on a bigger platform,” Ironside said. “So, for example, there are a bunch of different open mics that have been popping up in places that are almost like talent contest shows or like talent scouting agencies that are looking for people to perform at South by Southwest next year.”
Many artists find the relaxed and art-centered vibe of Waco inspiring. While cities like Dallas and Houston are known for their fast-paced lifestyles, Waco has become a hub for artists who want to lead slower lives.
Dee Thornton is the founder of Clasé Vintage and Goods — a popular vintage shop in Waco. Thornton is a musician himself and has familiarized himself with the history of Black musicians in Waco.
“Waco is slow-paced, so a lot of musicians gravitate here who want that,” Thornton said. “It’s Christian and family-oriented. There is also farm-to-table food.”
Even the hip-hop culture of Waco caters to a wider audience. Many of the hip-hop festivals only showcase family-friendly artists and work hard to keep a good reputation.
“I like it because you can bring your family out there,” Ironside said. “For me at least, a lot of hip-hop is like night clubs or places you can’t really have kids, so for me it’s cool to at least have my sons get off stage with me and watch their dad perform.”
