Every artist has one show they can point to and say, “That was the moment.”
For San Antonio rapper Big Texas, that moment came on June 15, 2023, at Paper Tiger during the release celebration for Mike Dimes’ highly anticipated album, Texas Boy. The event was one of the biggest hip-hop moments San Antonio had seen in years and arrived at a time when Mike Dimes was rapidly becoming one of the city’s most recognized artists on a national level.
What made the night even more meaningful for Big Texas was the way he got there.
At the time, Big Texas had already been building momentum throughout San Antonio through independent releases, live performances, and relentless networking. As excitement around Mike Dimes’ hometown release show continued growing, many of Big Texas’ supporters began flooding Mike Dimes’ social media pages, repeatedly calling for him to be added to the lineup.
The campaign worked.
After the buzz continued building, Mike Dimes’ management team reached out directly and extended an invitation for Big Texas to perform at the release event. For an artist who had spent years grinding through smaller venues and local shows, it was the kind of opportunity that every independent musician hopes for but few actually receive.
The lineup ultimately featured Big Texas and Southside Hoodlum opening the show before Mike Dimes took the stage. The event was held at Paper Tiger, one of San Antonio’s most respected music venues, and drew a packed crowd celebrating the release of Texas Boy.
For Big Texas, the experience represented far more than simply opening for a larger artist.
It was validation.
After years of building his reputation throughout the city, he was now standing on one of San Antonio’s biggest stages during one of the most important moments in a fellow local artist’s career. The opportunity demonstrated that the work he had been putting in behind the scenes was beginning to pay off.
What happened backstage left an even bigger impact.
Before the performances began, Mike Dimes’ family gathered with members of the lineup and prayed over the artists before they took the stage. For Big Texas, it was a moment that reflected the family-oriented atmosphere surrounding the event and showed the type of support system that had helped Mike Dimes reach the national level.
Throughout the night, Mike Dimes showed genuine respect toward Big Texas and the local artists involved in the show. Rather than treating the event as simply another tour stop or promotional appearance, the atmosphere felt like a celebration of San Antonio talent. Big Texas recalls receiving encouragement, support, and recognition for both his performance ability and the work ethic that had helped him earn his place on the lineup.
The relationship with Southside Hoodlum also played an important role in the event. Hoodlum’s appearance on Texas Boy represented another example of San Antonio artists supporting one another on larger platforms. Together, Big Texas and Southside Hoodlum helped represent the city’s underground scene during a night that showcased San Antonio’s growing influence within hip-hop.
Looking back, the Texas Boy release show remains one of the most important performances of Big Texas’ career.
It wasn’t just the size of the crowd.
It wasn’t just the venue.
It wasn’t just sharing a bill with Mike Dimes and Southside Hoodlum.
It was the realization that years of hard work, consistency, and support from fans could create opportunities that once seemed out of reach.
The show marked the point where Big Texas began seeing his career differently. What had started as a passion project from the West Side of San Antonio was becoming something much larger. The experience opened doors, expanded his confidence as a performer, and reinforced his belief that independent artists from San Antonio could compete on any stage.
Years later, the memory still stands as one of the defining moments of his journey — a hometown show that proved the city was paying attention and that Big Texas was ready for whatever came next.
