The Showboys’ "Drag Rap" AKA Triggerman: The Forgotten Record That Built Southern Rap

When people talk about the foundations of Southern rap, names like UGK, Outkast, and Master P often dominate the conversation. But one of the most influential records that shaped the sound of the South doesn’t come from Atlanta, Houston, or New Orleans—it comes from Hollis, Queens, New York. In 1986, teenage duo The Showboys, made up of Orville Hall (Can Can) and Phillip Price (Phil D), recorded a track that would quietly become one of the most important songs in hip-hop history: “Drag Rap.” Though the world now knows it as “Triggerman,” its origin story is as unexpected as its legacy is powerful.

The birth of “Drag Rap” was inspired by a random moment. Hall walked out of his house and heard the Dragnet theme playing on TV. That little melodic idea stuck with him. Combined with influence from Doug E. Fresh’s “The Show” and a drumbeat made by pounding on a Jeep’s hollow top, the Showboys had a six-minute track on their hands—part comedy, part crime drama, and all raw hip-hop.

With help from Profile Records and studio time at Manhattan’s Greene Street Recording, “Drag Rap” debuted on Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack. It made some noise in NYC, but faded quickly. It could’ve ended there—but the South had other plans.

The track migrated south thanks to Memphis DJ Spanish Fly, who stumbled on the record through Profile’s catalog. He didn’t know exactly what it was—but the hard-hitting 808s and wild percussion struck a chord. Soon, he was sampling it on underground tapes, and “Triggerman” became a staple in Memphis clubs, gangsta walk circles, and with rappers like 8Ball & MJG, Project Pat, and Yo Gotti.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, DJs and MCs put their own stamp on it. Tracks like “Where Dey At?” by MC T. Tucker and DJ Irv reworked “Triggerman” into something new: bounce music. With its contagious rhythms, chopped-up vocal samples, and celebratory, raw energy, bounce would eventually fuel global tracks like Drake’s “Nice For What” and Big Freedia’s entire catalog.

“Drag Rap” may not have topped the charts, but it’s been sampled and referenced over 160 documented times—and likely many more. Its iconic elements—the xylophone run, the syncopated snare hits, the “Yes!” and “Alright!” vocal drops—became the DNA of Southern rap. Like James Brown’s Funky Drummer, “Triggerman” became a rhythmic backbone, a toolkit for producers building everything from bounce to crunk to trap.

And yet, the Showboys never intended to spark a cultural revolution. They were just playing with an 808 and a melody, making music for the love of it. What they called “the bones” ended up as the foundation of the South’s sound.

Though Orville Hall and Phillip Price didn’t become household names, their creation shaped generations of Southern artists. “Triggerman” became the pulse of club scenes from Memphis to New Orleans, influencing how people dance, party, and even talk. It’s not just a song—it’s a cultural artifact, passed down, sampled, flipped, and reborn time and time again.

As we look back at the roots of Southern rap, “Drag Rap” deserves its flowers. It’s more than a forgotten New York track—it’s a blueprint, a bridge between coasts, and a beat that still knocks in 2025. And while the world may have slept on the Showboys when they first dropped it, their work continues to live on in the heart of every bounce beat, every 808, and every Southern anthem that moves the crowd.

From Queens to the Big Easy, from mixtapes to Billboard—Triggerman changed the game.