Image via Drexthejoint
While suburban figures defined Orange County’s hip-hop scene at the height of the Soundcloud era, Drexthejoint has torn down any postcard view of his city. Tank tops and board shorts gave way to oversized jeans and Pro Clubs, while surfboards and Jeep Wranglers were swapped for Hellcats and pistols.
A year into his career, the Santa Ana native moves with intention, cutting through the noise and reaffirming that you can still be dope without going viral. Drex’s music is a testament to staying true to your regionality, which has catapulted him into the conversation of the West Coast’s next breakout star.
Exploding onto the scene in early 2024 with “527 Freestyle,” Drex flipped early acclaim into a huge run, with his style blending vulgarity and swagger. The success of “Bounce Out” and “OC 2 SGV” were a regional battle cry. The Santa Ana rapper would be taken seriously. His delivery is instinctual, the words tumbling out as fast as they enter his head.
Drex’s 2025 debut record, The One Who Did, strikes the perfect balance between spontaneity and precision, delivering a 37-minute blitz of reckless energy and West Coast bravado that will have to be forcibly dethroned as the So-Cal street tape of the year. It’s the soundtrack to a function that could either go up in flames or last until the sun comes up. It’s ratchet, raw, and built on brazen shit talk.
Every punchline on the tape lands with the confidence of the party’s rowdiest instigator, but beneath lies something much heavier. As much as it revels in the chaos of youth, The One Who Did carries an undercurrent of tension, a reminder that thrill and danger live side by side. It’s curated like a night destined for endless motion, until a split second decision brings everything to a halt. Where opening tracks like “Bop Shit” and “Toot That Shit Up” personify the ratchet energy of a house party in full tilt, songs like “Section” and “I’m Him,” serve as a sobering reminder of the grim realities waiting outside the house. Drex is both the loudest voice in the room and the one whose instincts keep him on edge, scanning the crowd just in case.
Timing also plays a role. The One Who Did dropped just as the West Coast was caught in a feeding frenzy, every rapper with a mic trying to stake their claim before the buzz of Kendrick’s victory lap wore off. But while most were flinging loosies into the void, Drex sat back, let the anticipation simmer, and struck. It wasn’t luck; it was chess. A debut that doesn’t just capitalize on the region’s momentum, but bends it to his will. – Diego Tapia
To start, why don’t you tell me a bit about your family.
Drexthejoint: I was raised with my mom. It was just me and her. At the time it was my four other siblings, we lived in the same household and everything. I was born in North Carolina. I lived there for like two to three years. Then I went to Fresno for three months, then I moved to Santa Ana and I’ve lived there ever since–since I was like three years old.
Do you have family in North Carolina?
Drexthejoint: Not really, no. My mom, when she crossed the border from Mexico, that’s where everybody went to from where she’s from–Guerrero. There’s a lot of people from there that went over there. There’s a lot of them.
When did she come to the states?
Drexthejoint: She came when was 18. Now she’s 32.
Why did you guys move to Santa Ana?
Drexthejoint: When I was in Fresno, my mom met my stepdad. My stepdad is from the same part of town that she from–the same area, the same block– they’re both from the same part, so they already been knowing each other and shit. When she got to Fresno they got in contact again. We ended up moving with my step-dad’s cousin, and meanwhile, we got a spot in Santa Ana.
So it was you, your mom, and your step-dad–how many brothers and sisters do you have?
Drexthejoint: At that moment, it was my older brother, my older sister, me, and my little brother.
Where do you fall in the order amongst all your siblings?
Drexthejoint: I’m in the middle. There’s nine of us, and I’m like right in the middle.
What was it like to come up in such a big family?
Drexthejoint: I liked it because there’s a lot of love from each side, but it was just hard financially. It was really hard. I’ve seen my mom struggle a lot financially, because we’re a lot, you know? There was only so much she was able to do, but she always made it happen.
Was music a central part of your household?
Drexthejoint: Yeah. In my apartment, my mom was known to be bumping the loudest music on the block.
What would she play?
Drexthejoint: Cumbias. She be bumping that shit all the time. She dances too. She’s just energetic. That’s why I feel like I got all this shit from–my mom.
I’m sure you hear this alot, but when people think of Orange County they don’t really think about Santa Ana, they think Huntington or Redondo Beach, but there is this whole other side that feels almost forgotten. What can you tell me about your neighborhood and your experience growing up in Santa Ana?
Drexthejoint: My neighborhood was popping, especially back at that time it was really popping. The thing was, it was really fun though. I used to live across the street from school and I would always go to play soccer and shit. It was rough, but if you stayed out the way it would be good. For me, I remember I used to walk out and I would see a bunch of n***** from the neighborhood and they all knew me and shit as a kid. I just remember, every other month one of them would always die. When I was little, one of the n***** I grew up with, went to school since elementary, he died in front of my apartment. I wasn’t there, I didn’t see it. I was somewhere else, I forgot where I was. I remember my mom just calling me and she was like, “Are you okay?” They thought it was me, cause where he died at, I would always be right there. It was literally right in front of my apartment, where I would kick it with all the homies and shit. It had its rough times but that’s only if you choose that, you know? If you choose that, you’ll find it. But if you’re not, you’re good. You’ll always be good.
How do you continue to keep your head up when bad stuff like that is happening all around you? How did hearing one of your closet friends die affect you at that age?
Drexthejoint: I felt sad, but to me that shit was normal out there. I’m not even trying to gas it up or anything, but it’s just normal. Probably not now, things are way calmer. Back then when I was growing up that shit was normal. My brother’s friends would die and shit. But it did make me sad. I was a kid, you know? I’m still young, but I was like, damn, the fuck. But I just move on. I didn’t know how to cope with it.
How have the values you grew up on shaped the person you are today?
Drexthejoint: It was really just my mom. One thing I learned from my mom is just, don’t stop. Always find a way. I remember as a little kid, I wasn’t doing shit, but I would always tell my mom, I’m going to get you out the hood. You can see interviews from way back. I used to say that and I really did it. I’m hungry. I’m really hungry for this shit. Everything that I said I wanted to do, I did it. I’m still hungry for this shit. I just always had a hunger. I really came from nothing, you know?
Drexthejoint’s Manager: Even though he came from nothing he was a smart artist. There were a lot of deals put in front of him that were super low. Someone from poverty would usually just jump on it quickly, but he really surprised me early. He was like, “hell nah, we’re gonna get a big bag,” type shit. That was something I always respected about him.
Before you, there was no one really making noise in the OC. Why is that?
Drexthejoint: If I’m being honest, in OC, there’s nothing out there. There’s nobody popping out there. It’s a different style out there. The reason why I popped off is because I’m different. To keep it simple, all them rappers in my county are trash. It’s way different, like LA, you can name a bunch of artists from out there, IE you can name a bunch, San Diego you can name a bunch, but OC, you can’t really name. I’m glad to be putting on for my county. I take that shit with pride.
When did you start to pick up rap?
Drexthejoint: I was in juvenile hall and I remember I was with my celly and we’d just freestyle. They would tell me like, “Dawg you hard. You need to start rapping.” I got out and started doing little freestyles, and I blew up.
How did you get into writing raps in juvie? You’re not the first artist I’ve interviewed who said that they got started in juvie. Is rapping a common thing amongst kids inside?
Drexthejoint: When I was there, not really. For me, I feel like I was always just destined to do this. Honestly, If I wasn’t doing this, I wouldn’t be here. I would be on some way different shit. Everything I’m doing right now, this whole music shit, it changed my life around. I’m telling you, if it wasn’t for this, I’d be doing some other shit. I don’t know where I’d be at.
When did you tell yourself, I’m actually going to take music seriously?
Drexthejoint: When my first freestyle went viral, that’s when I was like, okay, let’s see where this takes me. I just started moving forward from that.
How long before that first freestyle did you start rapping?
Drexthejoint: I had just started. I hadn’t been rapping. That was my first real shit.
You’ve blown up like crazy in such a short time frame. Do you ever get overwhelmed by that quick ascent? Is there a certain pressure that comes with it?
Drexthejoint: Since it’s all new to me I don’t know how to feel. I don’t know, I’ve never been in this position. I’m just going with the flow. Yeah it’s overwhelming at times, cause sometimes it’s like, you can’t be certain places. I don’t really go to Orange County like that. If at one point I was a target in my city, now it’s way bigger than that. People always hate, you know? Other than that, not really. It’s just those little things, you know?
You said it was that first freestyle that kickstarted your career. Was that the point where you saw the music start to take off?
Drexthejoint: Nah, it wasn’t that freestyle. It was “Bounce Out.” Like a month after “Bounce Out,” that’s when I was like, damn, this shit is poppin. Even me looking at it back then, I was like, I’m really doing it. At that moment I didn’t know how to take it. I was just going with the flow. Now looking back on it it’s like, damn, we really turning this shit up quick.
Talk to me a bit about that, cause “Bounce Out” was how I got put onto you. What is the story behind how that song was made?
Drexthejoint: When I lived in Santa Ana, there was only one room for seven of us, plus my step dad and my mom, so there were nine of us. I used to live in the living room and we only had one bathroom. I remember I would go into the little bathroom we had, and I used to just play the beat on my speaker and I would just freestyle. Everything that came out of my head I would just write it in my notes, and I just stuck with that. The next day, I finished it off and went to the studio and did it. The crazy thing about that song is that I didn’t really like it. I was so unsure about that song. There’s always those one’s, you know?
How do you feel now that it’s one of your biggest songs?
Drexthejoint: I feel good. Everything really happens for a reason, you know? That shit is crazy.
When did you start working out of professional studios? Before that, how were you recording or practicing music?
Drexthejoint: When I dropped “Bounce Out” I was with my manager. Once he found me, he would take me to the studio. The day he told me he was at the studio, I didn’t have no songs written. I was nervous cause I would always see his other artists doing it. So I was nervous, I was like, fuck. But now, I can’t even do that no more. I can’t write. I just go in there and freestyle. I just get in there and talk shit. First off, I gotta have my Henny for sure. Whenever I’m feeling the beat, I just get up in there and talk shit.
Another one of my favorite songs of yours is “OC 2 SGV” with Rowdy Racks. How did the two of you end up making a song together?
Drexthejoint: We’re under the same label, me and Rowdy. Same management and everything. With Rowdy it was just natural. We really fuck with eachother heavily. How that song came about, he had a session with Joe Moses, and Joe Moses was running late. The producer there, the homie SinSlap, he was just doing beats, and he played me that beat. I was like, okay, I’m fucking with this one. He was playing the beat back and forth and I started writing and got up in there. After I did that whole shit, Rowdy came in, he’s like, “oh shit, that shit hard.’ Then he did his verse.
I want to talk a bit about the new album now. It reminds me of the kind of music I heard when I was partying in high school–the Mike Sherms, Frosty, Vinny West. Was that the blueprint that you were trying to model, or was there a different inspiration behind the sound you created for this project?
Drexthejoint: Yeah, I would say it’s that. I just wanted to put a whole tape together of me talking shit. It had a bunch of mixed vibes though. At first it starts off turnt up, and you can tell it goes down smoother and smoother. I just wanted to have a mix of everything.
The beat selection across the whole project feels very concentrated. How picky are you about what beats you choose?
Drexthejoint: I’m hella picky. The way I think about, and the way I move with this rap shit is, when I put a beat on I’m gonna gas this shit. So it has to be the right one, it can’t just be any beat.
How did you get Cypress Moreno to produce four of the biggest tracks on the project?
Drexthejoint: He just tapped in with me. He hit me up. At the time he had a studio session and told me to come through. That’s when we made “Ain’t Shit.” I freestyled that whole shit too.
How did “On Fleek” with Cypress and Mike Sherm come together?
Drexthejoint: Mike Sherm just tapped in with my team. Honestly, I don’t know how it went down. Ocho sent him the song and he like, “This what I needed. This is perfect.”
Before you released The One Who Did It, you were just releasing singles. What made you decide to put together a whole project?
Drexthejoint: Honestly, it was my team. They were like, “it’s time.” It was low key a perfect time too.
You’ve created a more refined image for yourself in the best possible way, from the increased production value of your videos to the people you’re working with to the cohesiveness of your debut. Who or what is behind this change so to say?
Drexthejoint: The thing about me is, I have a vision. I always knew what I wanted and my team backed that up all the time. I really always had a vision of this shit. I know what I want, I know what I want to do. I have a picture for everything, you know?
What’s the vision?
Drexthejoint: Just to keep doing what I’m doing. Stay hungry. All gas, no brakes.
It’s been about a month since The One Who Did It came out. How do you feel about the reaction the project is getting in the month since its release?
Drexthejoint: I feel good for sure.
How has your life changed since you started blowing up?
Drexthejoint: I got to move my family out the hood. It’s different. I’m in different places now. I’ve met people I never thought I would meet. It’s just way different now. It’s a different environment. I be living good.
Had you ever travelled out of Santa Ana before the music shit?
Drexthejoint: Nah I haven’t. I was always stuck in that bubble. I had never even been to LA. I had no reason to be out there.
Are you up in LA often now?
Drexthejoint: Yeah, all the time now. Just working.
How does it feel to be the only one putting on for the OC?
Drexthejoint: It feels good. Sometimes I just be like, damn, no matter what people do, n***** is always gonna hate. It be so crazy cause I’ve gotten so much love from people that are not even from my area, more than people from my area. That’s just so crazy to me. It also has to do with politics, you know?
A year ago, did you see yourself in this current position?
Drexthejoint: If I’m being honest, yeah I did. I always had a vision and I always knew. I told myself Imma do this.
It’s very respectable knowing that you went back to finish school. Most people in your position I feel wouldn’t even bother.
Drexthejoint: I wasn’t rapping when I went to school. I graduated in December of 2023, so when I put out that first freestyle, I had already finished school, I just hadn’t walked yet. But I had already graduated at that time. When I finished, that’s when I started doing freestyles and all that shit.
Why was it important for you to finish and get your GED?
Drexthejoint: I never had plans to not finish school. All my family did, all my siblings did.
So that was always the goal?
Drexthejoint: Yeah. I’m telling you, it would be way worse if I didn’t go to school and I wasn’t rapping. What would I even do?
What do you hope to gain from all this rap shit? What are your goals for yourself and your career?
Drexthejoint: I just really want to keep putting on. I just want to give people hope. For my area too, coming out of Santa Ana, I just want to give people hope. I want to be that person like, damn, he was just in the hood. I remember I used to see him running all around here. Now he’s like, what the fuck? I want to be that person, you know? I feel like I am, but I just want to stamp that. I just want to be an example of someone who came from nothing, to make it to something.
