“He went from being very verbal, to just start deteriorating”: BigXthaPlug opens up about raising a son with autism

Dallas-born rapper BigXthaPlug, known off-stage as Xavier Landum, recently shared a deeply personal chapter of fatherhood: raising his six-year-old son Amar, who has autism. In candid remarks, the artist detailed how Amar went “from being very verbal to just started deteriorating” after his diagnosis, highlighting both the painful and illuminating moments of their journey.

For BigXthaPlug, it’s been a process of learning “every day since,” confronting unfamiliar territory with patience and presence rather than fear, a mindset he hopes resonates with families in similar situations, particularly those who’ve long felt unseen. This story isn't delivered as a question-and-answer, but rather as a testament to the bond between father and son, and to a parent’s decision to speak up, not just for Amar, but for all voices touched by autism.

How BigXthaPlug describes raising his son with autism, and how he went from very verbal to facing speech challenges?

BigXthaPlug has laid bare the emotional terrain of parenting Amar, who he says “went from being very verbal to just started deteriorating”, reflecting a challenging turn in his son's speech development after being diagnosed with autism. This shift stunned the rapper, launching a period filled with urgent learning, therapy, doctor visits, research, but also deeply human moments of connection. On the Popcast podcast, he added that despite the communication shift, their bond remains strong and relies on sensitivity to nonverbal cues: eye contact, energy, Amar reaching out, or leaning in. Those small gestures, he said, “made me slow down and be more present”, a realization he calls unshakable.

Though Amar’s speech changed, BigXthaPlug rejects pity. In a PSA with the Autism Society of America, part of their broader “Autism Is” campaign, he frames autism as “a journey.” He said, “This was me sayin’ ‘I see you’ to other parents, other kids on this journey, especially in communities where people don’t talk about it enough.” He emphasizes that embracing this journey is how understanding and support grow.

He also spoke about the cost of his rising career in those early days. During his biggest year musically, when opportunities took him away from home, Amar’s challenges came into sharper focus. The rapper wrestled with guilt, admitting that he promised his son he’d “never not see him,” and recognizing that being away “takes a toll”.

Yet he stays focused, “I did everything … to make life easier for him,” he said, even as he acknowledged that autism makes life inherently harder, and that he must continually navigate both roles of a provider and present parent.