Chronicle Cookout Artists: Country Cousins Rep the Old-School
A reminder that old-school Texas rap is here to stay.
By Tamar Price, 1:13PM, Tue. Jun. 16, 2015
With our 3rd Annual Chronicle Cookout swiftly approaching on June 27, we think it’s time you get to know the artists you’ll be jamming to.
The phrase “Texas Trill” comes to mind when thinking of this first duo.
Country Cousins are self proclaimed “old heads” of hip-hop who thoroughly represent the era that raised them. Heavy 808’s and high-hats layered under southern drawls display the group’s loyalty to classic Texas rap.
K-Paul and Pimpin Pen, who are actually cousins, hit the Austin rap scene in 1999. Their subsequent work earned them a spot on 88.7 KAZI’s Texas Top 40 Countdown and lead to a tour across the state with Houston’s Trae tha Truth. With several mixtapes under their belt, most notably the 2006 project featuring Paul Wall and the aforementioned Trae tha Truth, the pair released their full length debut album, Country Cousins last year. The album relies on tried-and-true Southern themes like trapping, humble upbringings, and of course, love for one’s mama. Despite setbacks and incarcerations, these Austin vets never lost their footing when connecting with their fan base and moving crowds. Their new album Country Kingz is in the works now and will no doubt cement their place in Austin’s growing hip-hop scene. Rap has had its fill of passing trends but Country Cousins make one thing clear, Texas Trill is going nowhere.
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