Paul Wall with Scarface, Lil' Flip, and more

Paul Wall, a Texas hip-hop icon from Houston, is known for his affable, boastful rhymes and syrupy beats. Rising through the Swishahouse label, he gained fame with Mike Jones' "Still Tippin'" and solo hit "The Peoples Champ," which topped the Billboard 200. Wall's collaboration on Nelly's "Grillz" earned a Grammy nomination and bolstered his custom mouthpiece business. He continues to release music independently, collaborating with artists like Chamillionaire and Termanology, while maintaining a prolific presence in the hip-hop scene.

Scarface, born Brad Jordan in Houston, pioneered Southern thug rap. Known for gritty, hardcore lyrics, he found fame with Geto Boys and solo hits like "My Block." Collaborated with Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and 2Pac. Despite mainstream challenges, earned acclaim with "The Fix" and won 2001 Source's "Lyricist of the Year." Hesigned Ludacris to Def Jam South, boosting his legacy.

Slim Thug, born in Houston, rose to fame with his deep voice and mixtape success. Known for hits like "Already Platinum," he's collaborated with artists like the Neptunes, Rick Ross, and Paul Wall. His business acumen extends to real estate and his Boss Hogg Outlawz label. Notable works include "The Boss of All Bosses" and "Welcome 2 Houston."

Houston-born rapper Mike Jones, known for his hit "Who is Mike Jones?", took a break due to label issues but returned strong in 2018 with "Sauce" and over 3M streams.