Eighty-seven miles away from Dallas, there is Waco. A small city in central Texas that isn't known by many. Until now, not a single rapper from the city of Waco has risen into the limelight. All of that is bound to change since fast-rising artist Wacotron hit the scene.

Wacotron discovered his love for music at a young age while cruising around Waco with his father. Rap instantly became a big part of his life as later down the line, he would use it as an escape from reality from the mean streets of the central Texas town. "I remember when I was a lil ni**a in fifth or fourth grade, I'd ride my bike and just rap to myself. I just know this shit go back that far, and it stuck with me," he said.

Wacotron describes growing up in Waco as being "crazy." Growing up, he always needed to be aware of his surroundings, ready for the unexpected. "Coming up [in Waco] it was hard; every day was a struggle tryna stay above water, and everybody tryna do right even though you were taught to do wrong," Wacotron said, in a recent zoom interview.

Once he turned to music as an escape, he began uploading his tracks to Facebook and YouTube just to mess around and have fun with it. It wasn't till 2016 when he decided to take rap seriously after his friends uploaded a track called "Too Playa" to Facebook. The track started doing numbers locally, and this encouraged Waco to go all in.

After a couple of years of hard work and determination, he caught the attention of Moe Shalizi. Shalizi, founder of Pick Six Records based out of LA, who ended up reaching out, and the rest was history. Wacotron ended up signing to Pick Six Records and soon enough became 808 Mafia’s superstar producer Southside's prodigy after delivering his breakthrough single "Cut Me Up," last December.

Since then, Wacotron delivered his debut project Smokin Texas on 4/20. The mixtape consists of 12 tracks with a G Herbo feature on the Marshmello produced track, "Umbrella." Wacotron doesn't know where the rap game is taking him, yet all he knows is that young Wacotron riding his bike down the street of Waco, TX, would be proud.

How you feeling Waco, how's this pandemic been treating you?

A lot of positive things happened since then. For one, this rap shit took off. During the pandemic, I got a chance to see what I was doing wrong and got my mind right.

How was growing up in Waco like?

You better be ready for whatever going around this motherfucker man. It's crazy. Coming up it was hard; every day was a struggle tryna stay above water, and everybody tryna do right even though you were taught to do wrong.

How's it feel to be the first rapper from Waco to be in the spotlight?

It's crazy, but I feel like I deserve this shit. I know the work I've done put in for this shit wasn't easy. Especially when you on your own. It feel good. I'm still adapting to it. It ain't settle in on me. I'm still adapting to this.

What gravitated you towards the rap game?

I just gave it a try one day. I always liked to freestyle and shit. I remember when I was a lil ni**a in fifth or fourth grade, I'd ride my bike and just rap to myself. I just know this shit go back that far, and it stuck with me. I got love and passion for this music shit. I like hearing myself on the beat.

So you listen to yourself a lot? Also, who are you currently listening to?

Yeah, sometimes. Right now, I be listening to a lot of shit. If it come on the phone, I'll listen to it. I listen to shit people don't listen to, though. I listen to Doe Boy on the daily. I also listen to Derrell Deshawn on the daily too though.

Do you remember the moment when you decided to go all-in and start rapping to make a name for yourself?

It was when I did a song called "Too Playa," in 2016. That was my first shit. I was at the studio and recorded that shit. My lil cousin and other people was fucking with it. They was jammin to that before I left. I left, and I ain't know the ni**a was going to upload it to Facebook. Shit, by the time I got to the house and connect to the wifi and pull up my shit and it get to snapping. I was like, 'damn, what the fuck this is?' I check, and it was going ham. After I seen that, I was like, 'damn, I just moved a lil some.' It wasn't a lot, but it was my first shit.

How did Pick Six Records come into the picture?

Instagram. Moe [Shalizi] came across some shit I had. He heard and liked that shit, and he hit me up; shit, it's Pick Six to the grave. I signed about six or seven months ago.

Since you signed, whats changed?

I still ain't used to all the attention I be getting when I go to places. People, saying my name and shit. The way a ni**a use to living don't nobody knew my name when I came around this bitch. It cant be like that with this rap shit anyway, so I'm getting used to it.

Have you done any shows recently since things are opening back up?

Yeah, I be rocking them hoes out. I've only done shows in Texas, but there's more to come.

Tell me about linking up with Southside. Did he give you any pointers since you two started working together?

Yeah, he taught me how to structure a song. He showed me how to get it right. He taught me a lot. We still working, we still going in, there's more to come.

You also linked up with Marshmello & Herbo for "Umbrella." How did that come about?

On my second trip to LA, Southside wasn't there. Marshmello was there, though. He kept throwing me them beats. I was knocking them hoes out the park. I wasn't bullshitting. That one particular beat, though, for "Umbrella," he sent it to me. I remember Moe walking in the room, and I hadn't seen him rocking with other songs like that one. He was feeling that bitch and shit I guess he pulled them strings that was supposed to be pulled, and voila.

Who's an artist you trying to link up with and make more bangers with?

I gotta make a banger with Yo Gotti and Moneybagg. I don't give a damn whoever on that beat we making a banger.

Tell me about your debut mixtape, Smokin Texas.

I went full-throttle on it. Every beat I get, I go insane on. I gave them the shit they need, and I know they go want more of this shit.

Is there something you'd like to let your fans know?

I appreciate ya'll. I appreciate all the love and support because I'd never seen this shit coming, and I can tell it's genuine, so I appreciate that shit a lot. I ain't go lie. I got some more heat coming—a lot of fire.

What's next for Wacotron?

I'm in the studio. I'm working on Smokin Texas 2. Ima let them dice roll and keep working. This shit go pay off. I ain't go slack off, or nothing, but I just rather keep my foot on the gas.