San Antonio's music scene has never needed Austin's permission, but this March, it's heading there anyway. A wave of local acts is taking puro energy straight to South by Southwest, March 12-18, and we caught up with three of them.DeShaunJayRapper DeShaunJay says he embraced music as soon as he lear ned how to walk and talk.“It's been another language to me,” he says. “It's been something I've been involved with in one way or another for as long as I can remember.”In high school, he became more serious about writing and performing songs, later founding the Flourish Gang and releasing projects like Phone Calls, a series of intimate albums focused on the ups and downs of relationships and personal growth. The most recent release, Phone Calls 4, like all his work, was self-engineered.“When it comes to my process of making music, I'm very private,” DeShaunJay says. “If you're not involved in the process, you're not going to see too much unless I'm actually finished, unless there's something I've recorded…I'm going to sit there, and I'm going to give every line thought,” he added. “I take my time. I try to let [my music] speak to me.”Although he has a closely-held process, he is still dedicated to growing San Antonio’s music community. In 2021, DeShaunJay was elected a brand ambassador for MVP Vibe, a locally based, Black- and woman-owned social network platform designed to connect musicians, vocalists, and poets. As he works on a fifth installation of Phone Calls, DeShaunJay says his musical journey is still a learning process.“When I first started releasing music, I was completely open to the fact that I don't know everything,” he said. “I'm still figuring things out.”March 12, 11:40 pm, Rivere, 1501 E. Seventh St., Austin ...read more read less