The Houston car culture shall never die, and certainly not on Father’s Day. What better place to park the slabs and let the candy paint shine under a Texas sun? The Bayou City Event Center was in the presence of Houston legends at the All Gas No Smoke car meet sponsored by Gas Gods, and it did not disappoint. The culture has a rich history in Space City.
“Slow, loud and bangin’,” is how Slim Thug described it under the canopy of the outdoor space, “it’s the candy paint, and we do the rims that stick out, which is the…tippin’ on 44, what most people ride. It’s based on the slab-back Cadillac from 1984.” Even his lawn chair was sitting low.
Large fans and misters helped keep the area comfortable under a triple digit Texas heat index. Slim went on to tell the story of Texan Wire Wheels, who acquired the patent for the symbolic style that allowed them to make “bigger sizes to take it to another level, and made the rims stick out even further,” he said. He explained a ‘popped trunk’ to me with the music, the 5th wheel that lays down as the trunk comes up to show a neighborhood specific saying or representation. “Can’t forget the grill on the front, like the Rolls Royce got the big crowned grill with the woman on it, same thing with the slab culture.”
“It’s not necessarily about speed, it’s about cruising,” he added, “it’s just life to me.”
Slim Thug was not alone in that sentiment. Brian Ake, who drove a jet-black Cadillac lowrider convertible – a slightly different style or brand of Houston car culture – described the meetup culture as “unique” and “diverse.” He said, “No matter what culture, [if] you got a unique car, someone’s going to like it.” I also talked to a man named George, who hailed the car meet culture as “individuality with a Texas Twist,” where the “camaraderie is still the same no matter what.”
Bee Honey, a member of a music collective named The Everlasting Vibez said when asked about her favorite parts of the culture, “oh, man!” Before pausing in the nostalgia, “everything! the style, the rims, the speakers, the music.” To attendees of this Father’s Day All Gas No Smoke Car Meet it was what sets the community apart, yet draws them together.
The owner of Gas Gods, Ed Warren – who wants to expand into markets in Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin within the foreseeable future – said they put on the All Gas No Smoke meets to “do something, to give back to the community,” and quipped that “everybody wants to bring out their toys.”
The Everlasting Vibez went on and played a soulful set. They are a local collective of independent musicians that have been performing together in one way or another for 9 years in different iterations. They have been playing together as is for the last 5 years. There wasn’t a person I talked to that didn’t speak about the culture, the community, the cars and the music as one-in-the-same.
As the band played, I visited the local vendors. A local artist that goes by MaDD KyNG had a live stream setup of one of his pieces and Slab Fresheners had a pop-up set up as well. I talked to Banks at the Hogg Life Family tent. He described some Houston history and the colors associated with what he called the “Old School: the Northside Blue and the Southside Red.” He also took time to clarify what he called “rims as a way of classism,” the blades, swangers, G12, G15, and “rankings in hustling.” Banks said that the Hogg Life Family was truly a family atmosphere. “It’s to feed the Family, everybody at Hogg Life is family, married or blood,” he said, “we take care of everybody…they elevated my life.”
As I walked from under the canopy into the parking lot to get a closer look at the cars the soulful music faded and the sound transitioned into the distinct chopped and screwed music bumping from the ‘popped trunks’ so hard it looked like the side panels might rattle off, but that’s the point.
“Loud, slow, and bangin’”
Back under the protection of the canopy, in good company, and in the welcome embrace of cool air from the fans and misters, I moseyed around a bit more while waiting for a freestyle battle to begin. Alycia Myles – the organizer of the event – said the purpose of the meetups are, “to pay homage to Houston culture.”
“If Ed (owner of Gas Gods) has been there since day one, I’ve been here since day two,” said the Native Houstonian, “this is who I am.” Alycia would go on to moderate the freestyle battle with local legends Lil Keke, Slim Thug, Killa Kyleon, Le$, and DJ Mr Rogers as judges.
The participants were Q’gotem, Jay Slay, and another man called Jay as well. Q, who introduced himself as a father and producer who is “willing to work with anybody,” went first. He rapped with a cadence more reminiscent of the East Coast style, but spit an ode to fatherhood and taking care of business with his young son on the stage with him. Jay Slay went second, followed by the Northsider also called Jay, who would end up winning the competition. The second Jay, if you will, rapped a much more Houston centric style that was dapped up by Slim Thug at its conclusion. As the judges continue to inspire the culture through their involvement in the community, the participants of the freestyle battle had a moment while they linked on stage, so maybe Houston will have some fruits of the labor to look forward to in the future.
The freestyles were capped off with a short set by Mr 713 himself: Lil Keke. He tapped into the classics of a culture he and the others on the stage helped create and perpetuate as well as performing tidbits from this year’s album Can’t Rain Forever.
The event was characterized by all of the good parts of the classic Houston car meetup, but it also felt very family oriented and community centered. There were even play centers set up to entertain the children and families. It was a great way to celebrate Father’s Day. Although my own father resides in my home state of Nebraska – where the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a car meetup is Kearney Cruise Night – and we were unable to see each other in person, just let me just say, Happy Father’s Day.
“It’s not necessarily about speed, it’s about cruising.”
