Joe Rogan Experience #2120 - That Mexican OT
Narrator, Narrator, That Mexican OT (guest), Joe Rogan (host), Narrator, Narrator, Narrator, Narrator, Narrator
In this episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, featuring Narrator and Narrator, Joe Rogan Experience #2120 - That Mexican OT explores that Mexican OT Shares Gritty Upbringing, Faith, Fame, And Fun Joe Rogan sits down with rapper That Mexican OT for a wide‑ranging conversation about his chaotic childhood, his parents’ influence, and how rap became both a survival tool and a destiny chosen for him by his late mother. OT explains how years of being forced to perform by his father became the “gladiator school” that made him a standout artist, even though, personally, he mainly craves a simple life, love, and family. They explore his creative process, genre‑blending vision for his new project “Recess,” and deep gratitude toward fans who he feels literally saved his life. The episode also detours into spirituality, ghosts, war, riots, movies, combat sports, ocean monsters, social media distortion, and the ethics of fame, women, and loyalty.
That Mexican OT Shares Gritty Upbringing, Faith, Fame, And Fun
Joe Rogan sits down with rapper That Mexican OT for a wide‑ranging conversation about his chaotic childhood, his parents’ influence, and how rap became both a survival tool and a destiny chosen for him by his late mother. OT explains how years of being forced to perform by his father became the “gladiator school” that made him a standout artist, even though, personally, he mainly craves a simple life, love, and family. They explore his creative process, genre‑blending vision for his new project “Recess,” and deep gratitude toward fans who he feels literally saved his life. The episode also detours into spirituality, ghosts, war, riots, movies, combat sports, ocean monsters, social media distortion, and the ethics of fame, women, and loyalty.
Key Takeaways
Early hardship can forge unique artistic voices—if you survive it.
OT’s childhood included drugs, bar fights, domestic violence, and absent or jailed parents; he was “grown at eight,” and that intensity gave him deep, authentic material and perspective that now powers his storytelling and stage presence.
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Relentless repetition under pressure builds unconscious mastery.
His father woke him at 4–5 a. ...
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You can be wildly successful doing what someone else wanted for you—and still feel uncertain.
OT admits rap was his mother’s dream, not necessarily his; he’s grateful and thriving, but says what he truly wants is love, a family, and a simple, peaceful life, highlighting the identity tension many pushed‑from‑childhood talents feel.
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Keeping creativity playful (“Recess”) helps avoid stagnation and genre boxes.
He frames his next project as ‘Recess’—a playground with no ego or boundaries—so he can dominate different “stations” (country, rock, rap, Latin) and preserve the sense of fun that keeps music fresh and sustainable.
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Fans can literally keep artists alive—and deserve to be treated that way.
OT talks emotionally about fans honoring his mother and noticing tiny details; he believes God will “have a good talk” with them because their support rescued him from drug abuse and self‑destruction.
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War, riots, and mob mentality tap into ancient human “war mode.”
Rogan argues protests and riots energize the same deep survival circuits as hunting or war, making people more prone to violence and group extremism; OT is struck by the idea that this “war gene” lives in everyone’s lineage.
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Loyalty, gratitude, and refusing to exploit people shape a healthier version of success.
OT describes flying friends first class, boosting ‘underdog’ women instead of clout‑chasing, refusing to sleep with women who are with hard‑working men, and staying humble—showing how personal ethics can coexist with rap stardom.
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Notable Quotes
“This is Recess to me. I can go to the monkey bars and dominate, then the jungle gym, then the swings and have fun everywhere.”
— That Mexican OT
“I’ve been rapping since I was four years old. It’s not what I wanted—it’s what my mama wanted.”
— That Mexican OT
“Once you know the way broadly, you can see it in all things.”
— Joe Rogan (quoting Miyamoto Musashi)
“Everybody’s a nobody—you just happen to be good at that. This shit don’t make my dick bigger.”
— That Mexican OT
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it's stored than anything on which it's poured.”
— Joe Rogan (quoting Mark Twain)
Questions Answered in This Episode
How might That Mexican OT’s career and personal life evolve if he ever fully pursues what *he* wants—love and family—over what his mother wanted for him?
Joe Rogan sits down with rapper That Mexican OT for a wide‑ranging conversation about his chaotic childhood, his parents’ influence, and how rap became both a survival tool and a destiny chosen for him by his late mother. ...
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What does his ‘Recess’ philosophy suggest about the future of genre boundaries in popular music, especially for artists from rough backgrounds?
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How can fans better support artists in ways that help their mental health rather than just amplifying their fame and pressure?
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To what extent do you agree with Rogan’s idea that protests and riots activate a ‘war gene,’ and how should that shape how we think about public demonstrations?
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How does OT’s strict personal code about relationships, loyalty, and who he will or won’t sleep with challenge stereotypes about rappers and masculinity?
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Transcript Preview
(drum roll) Joe Rogan podcast. Check it out.
The Joe Rogan Experience. (drum roll) Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night. All day. (rock music)
Telling the story of the pit with the seven wolves?
Yeah. Well-
That was-
... seven coyotes. Yeah.
The coyotes.
I think it was nine. I think it was nine coyotes.
Damn.
That's a crazy story.
I feel like, l- I feel like I'm looking at you on my phone right now.
(laughs)
It's crazy.
Are we rolling?
Yeah.
That's hilarious. Yeah. It's weird when you meet people when you've seen them.
Yeah.
Me too with you, you know.
Yeah.
I've only seen you on YouTube.
Right, right, right.
Seen you on my phone. (laughs)
Right? It's cool, man. It's a pleasure, bro.
Pleasure to meet you too, man.
You're really rich, bro. You're like... You're a bad motherfucker, bro. I... And first of all, like, to me, my dad was like my god, you know what I'm saying? So to see him glorify you and stroke your ego, bro, it's just... It's cool.
Oh, that's cool. I'd like to meet your dad.
Yeah, you just met him.
Oh, that was your dad?
Yeah, the swole Mexican there.
Oh, no shit.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, your dad's cool as fuck.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's awesome, man. That's awesome. Beautiful.
Mm-hmm.
Your dad looks good, man.
(laughs) Yeah, my whole life he's been like that.
He looks good.
I remember I'd get in trouble, and he would punish me with workouts.
Oh, really?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, wow.
I've been fit my whole life. I started getting fat when I touched that rapper money.
(laughs)
Yeah. (laughs) It really-
It's hard, right?
Yeah, yeah. I'd go out to eat, and I would like... 'Cause I'm already indecisive, so like I'd go out to eat and order like five things and just eat small off each plate.
Well, that's a problem when you first start getting money, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You just get indulgent.
Yeah. I'm chilling now though, you know what I'm saying? But definitely, at first it was like... (inhales)
When I, uh... When I was, uh, 25, I got a development deal. And, uh, I was spending so much money, my manager called me up. He thought I had a gambling problem.
(laughs) Oh, shit.
He was like, "Do you have a gambling problem?" I go, "No, I'm eating steak and lobster every night." (laughs)
I was just going to say, bro. Like, it goes to food, right? I feel like... 'Cause I ain't bought Joe Red nothing like that. Nothing.
Nothing?
Nothing.
I seen the grill.
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