PARIS TEXAS – Heavy Metal

Paris Texas, the Slacker Rap Duo Behind One of 2021’s Defining Albums – AnOther Magazine, June 15, 2021

Responsible for the one of the strongest, most original releases of 2021, Paris Texas are ripping up the rulebook and having fun doing it

“I live life in a comedy,” raps Louis Pastel in FORCE OF HABIT, the recent single by South Central artists Paris Texas that’s without doubt one of the strongest, most original releases of 2021. Its swaggering, stomping chorus sees the other half of the duo, Felix, chanting the refrain “walking ‘round like I’m the shit” over distorted guitars that instantly bring to mind American slacker bands like Dinosaur Jr and Fugazi. The production feels instinctive, anarchic, without regard for the rulebook, and there’s a sense of two people having fun.

Introduced through a mutual friend, producer Louis Pastel and rapper Felix met in community college in South Central, Los Angeles, and have – officially – been Paris Texas for three years. In February this year, they dropped their debut single HEAVY METAL, an electric rap track with a spiky punk bassline, rock guitars and deafening crash cymbals, a sound reminiscent of Pharrell’s N.E.R.D., just spookier, with a video that sees the pair dragged around the streets of LA bleeding, occasionally shifting into full-face white masks. The track introduced them to the world, albeit without revealing much about who they are. 

A month later they dropped SITUATIONS, a krauty, King Krule-esque rap tune with a video using a 32-bit video game aesthetic to put them into virtual character. Next came FORCE OF HABIT, and the duo prowling around a California car park, hoods up and plaid jackets on, looking like they’ve been cast by Harmony Korine. The same day they dropped their first full-ish length (eight-track) project BOY ANONYMOUS, a release that marks them out as new artists with a comprehensive vision.

Paris Texas give me the same feeling that Odd Future did when I first heard them about a decade ago. Stylistically I don’t think there are too many similarities, but there’s an attitude, a refusal to follow convention, a youthful punk spirit that you can feel all over the music. While I might be scrambling about for references, they don’t sound like anything around right now. I caught up with Louis and Felix, sat at opposite ends of their LA apartment on different Zooms, to find out more… [+]

“Heavy Metal” by Paris Texas

[Verse 1] I can’t chill with a bop or a bozo I’m the one dodging bullets in slo mo lil’ bitch you are not at a dojo you can’t kick it here here bitch I am JOJO bizarre how i move when i’m tripping got these tabs on my tongue like a browser omg louie over there spittin! he can beat up this beat for an hour Bitch from the city of god everybody you know is a fraud man i stink someone spray me in BOD i just wanted my fathers applause i just wanted my mothers applause i just wanted these crackers applause so i stand on the stage with the bars so i stand on the stage with the boys

[Verse 2] Bless with my presence say thanks little bitch what is your rank Walk in my hood for a second They might put you in the dirt Born this way it must be a curse You drop the song thats the worst She don’t suck dick that’s a first said she was playing then she go to work Aim for her mouth then I burst like a gun or a semi no you ain’t fucking with me yea my girls hella pretty not saditty, they self conscious insecure, real high emotions long acrylics to hit all them roaches but I don’t give two fucks thats my bitch Ass so fat in them jeans it might rip Want to move to Atlanta and strip Hold your tongue with that menacing grip Got no semi no uzi no clip just a hundred fist jamming yo shit on yo tombstone we pissin’ lil’ bitch since my skin been a solar eclipse grab Orion belt then you get whipped you my son you my child you my kid SSX, lets get tricky lil’ bitch uber coming you leaving lil’ bitch you can’t get no high score in this shit

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Directed By Austin-Taylor Richburg Produced By Philip Miller Written By Paris Texas & Austin-Taylor Richburg Edited & Colored By Illimiteworld Production Company Illimiteworld Director of Photography Jay Swuen Key Grip Jon Sohn Art Assistant Tania Viviana Vera 1st AC Ben Hernandez 2nd AC Fernando Lopez Steadicam OP Andres G. Gaffer Preston Maestri SPFX & Makeup Fara Conley Stunt Coordinator Tony Snegooff Film Scan By Fotokem LA