Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug was arrested in Texas on Friday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to Allen County Police. The 28-year-old artist, real name Xavier Landum, was taken into custody in Allen and booked into Collin County Jail before later being released.
The latest arrest comes while BigXthaPlug is already on bail over similar allegations from about a year ago. In August 2024, police records show he was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon and a small amount of marijuana, a case that remains active. Court documents also indicate he faced comparable charges in 2022, suggesting a pattern that prosecutors are unlikely to ignore.
Police in Allen, north of Dallas, told BBC Newsbeat that officers stopped the musician on Friday and subsequently arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, drug possession and illegal firearm possession. No further details of the stop, such as the quantity of marijuana allegedly found or the type of weapon involved, have been made public.
A spokesperson for Allen County Police said officers followed standard procedure and transferred Landum to Collin County Jail shortly after the arrest. Jail records confirmed he was later released, although the terms of that release, including any bond conditions or travel restrictions, have not been disclosed.
Bigxthaplug's Rising Profile and a Career in Flux
The news landed at a particularly awkward moment for BigXthaPlug, who has been edging from regional cult favourite to mainstream recognition over the past two years.
The Dallas rapper built his name on a hybrid sound that pulls from southern hip-hop, trap and country-rap, and he broke through with the viral singles Texas, The Largest and Mmhmm, tracks that have circulated heavily on TikTok and rap-focused playlists.
He had recently teased new music on Instagram, telling fans he was gearing up to drop fresh material soon. He was also due to perform at the Country Rising festival on Friday, a booking that underlined how quickly he has climbed festival bills.
Organisers later posted on Instagram that he would no longer be appearing due to what they described as a 'personal emergency.' They did not mention the arrest.
That vague explanation, paired with the sudden cancellation, sparked the usual flood of speculation in fan comment sections. Some followers urged patience and sent support, others were bluntly annoyed at buying tickets for a set that evaporated hours before showtime. None of this is unusual in the age of always-on fandom, but it shows how fast the narrative around an artist can flip.
Performing Days After Arrest Keeps Bigxthaplug in Spotlight
BigXthaPlug did not retreat from the public eye after his release from jail. Videos shared on social media show him taking the stage at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday as scheduled, only a day after the arrest in Texas. Footage circulated by fans captures him opening his set by telling the crowd: 'They didn't think I was coming.'
That line drew loud cheers, and it also doubled as a not-so-subtle nod to the drama surrounding his absence from Country Rising. It was the kind of moment rappers often lean on, turning legal trouble into fuel for the stage narrative. Whether that plays well with judges and probation officers is another matter entirely.
Fair organisers have not commented publicly on the arrest, and there is no indication from the clips that the performance was cut short or altered. For the thousands in the crowd, it looked like a fairly normal night of music, which is slightly wild considering he had been in a Texas jail cell barely 24 hours earlier.
The latest legal tangle comes after a busy run of live shows. BigXthaPlug performed at Wireless Festival in the UK in 2025, shortly before releasing his most recent album. That slot put him in front of one of Europe's most influential rap crowds and helped broaden his reach beyond the US southern rap circuit.
Legal Clouds Gather Again Over Bigxthaplug
The most serious question now is how Friday's arrest will affect the ongoing case from August last year. At that time, police accused him of unlawful possession of a weapon and a small amount of marijuana. Because that case is still continuing, any fresh allegations may be treated as a potential breach of bail or bond terms.
Local prosecutors have not yet stated whether they will seek to tighten restrictions on the rapper, revoke bail or fold the new allegations into the existing case.
No court hearing dates in connection with Friday's arrest have been made public. Without those filings, key details remain uncertain, including what formal charges will ultimately be laid.
The history stretching back to 2022, when he reportedly faced similar weapon and marijuana allegations, gives the authorities a longer timeline to work with. Defence lawyers often argue that young artists are targeted or over-policed, especially in the US South. Police typically counter that, for them, it is about guns, roadside stops and the law, not streaming numbers.
Allen County Police have not released body camera footage of the arrest or a detailed incident report. Until that happens, the public version of events will be shaped mainly by terse police statements on one side and social media gossip on the other. Nothing is confirmed yet so everything should be taken with a grain of salt.
What is clear is that BigXthaPlug now has three sets of weapon and drug allegations across four years hanging over him just as his career starts to scale up. Promoters, brands and festival bookers tend to look hard at those patterns, whatever fans might say in the comments.
He still has music on the way, if his recent Instagram hints are to be believed. Whether that roll-out goes to plan, or ends up threading around court dates and bond hearings, is now very much an open question.
