Country and rap music crossover may seem strange at first, but it is becoming increasingly mainstream. Where there was once an obvious divide between hip hop and country music genres, those lines have begun to blur.
Lil Nas X’s song, “Old Town Road”, masterfully mixes iconic cowboy imagery and trap beats, creating what has come to be known as country rap music.
The origins of country rap
Country rap may make some listeners uneasy, but its influence on country music has grown rapidly over the years. Thanks to songs like Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem”, which features rapper Ludacris, country rap has gained prominence and become an integral component of country music today. However, its unique sound can sometimes divide fans; while creating what has come to be known as “Bro-Country”, which appeals to non-country listeners.
Country rap has its origins difficult to pinpoint, although certain artists have experimented with it since the 1980s. Hip hop has a rich history of merging with other genres such as jazz, blues, gospel and more; while rappers use rhymes and repetition to convey ideas and stories in their music.
Country rap is a subgenre of hip hop that mixes traditional country music with hip-hop lyrics and beats. This form often covers themes related to rural life and Southern culture as well as working-class struggles. Country instrumentation such as an acoustic guitar or slide guitar may be utilized, and lyrics featuring cowboys or the old west may also feature. Country rap is widely popular among both country and rap fans.
Bubba Sparxxx
At college football games in Georgia, Sparxxx became a hugely popular rap performer after games and soon found himself introduced to an Atlanta producer with connections, who offered him his first major recording deal and led to him becoming known as “the country Drake.”
“Cruise” by his song has become one of the most influential songs ever, popularizing country music genre. This tune contains references to trucking, fishing, bonfires on summer nights and other aspects of country life; additionally it also contains rock elements with guitar and harmonica playing in the background.
Today, artists can easily reach a wide audience with their music thanks to social media. Spotify and YouTube have replaced radio and MTV in helping artists reach large audiences; thus enabling more artists to experiment with genre and create memorable songs.
Country rap has gained more mainstream appeal, with major artists like Nelly and Tim McGraw joining forces on projects. This trend is anticipated to continue as more artists find novel ways of expressing their creative talent.
Colt Ford
Colt Ford has established himself as an influential musician that transcends genre boundaries – blurring country, rap, EDM and rock styles alike. A recent Wall Street Journal piece detailed his efforts in helping keep physical CD sales alive; yet Ford’s mission extends further than simply promoting his latest album or tour date – it’s about being an innovator who consistently forges ahead with his own vision and pioneers new paths forward.
Georgia native Josh Lee grew up listening to both country and hip hop music, yet his unique blend of hip hop and country is undeniable. Since 2009, Lee has been working as a songwriter, co-writing hit country songs with Montgomery Gentry and Jamey Johnson and even alternative rock groups such as Lit.
Keys to the Country marks an exciting chapter in Ford’s career and stands as an unwavering declaration of his beliefs. Produced by Noah Gordon and Shannon Houchins of Average Joe’s Entertainment, with guest performances by Dillon Carmichael, Mitchell Tenpenny, Josh Mirenda among others – this release and 2023’s We the People Volume 1 demonstrate Ford’s masterful musicianship while keeping audiences on their toes!
The Lacs
The Lacs are two Georgia-born rappers who use country genre to rap about their rural roots with steel guitars, fiddles and nasally accented singing. Their song “Kickin’ Up Mud” has over 14 million YouTube views and inspired numerous country rap artists.
Since 2002, they have perfected their signature blend of country music, rap and rock to delight crowds of all kinds. After releasing several independent albums before signing with country singer Colt Ford’s Backroad label – their 2011 and 2015 albums both made Country charts!
As well as their mainstream albums, Big and Rich also released moonshine-themed songs that have proven immensely popular among country rap fans. Additionally, they toured with Big & Rich, Bubba Sparxxx, Lenny Cooper’s Whiskey Bandits amongst others.
While not traditional country, The Lacs still enjoy considerable airplay on country radio and their popularity continues to increase. From songs about drinking and driving to Mud Bogging, The Lacs know what it means to be rednecks and are not afraid to tell everyone! Their music blends backwoods, street and country elements into an engaging whole.
Kid Rock
Kid Rock hails from Detroit but his unique brand of country-rap owes more to the braggadocio and rhyme-heavy verses of hip hop than any other genre. Additionally, this style was born out of urban settings and once gave rise to blood feuds such as that between Brooklyn’s Notorious B.I.G and California’s Tupac Shakur.
Rock joined forces with Nashville’s finest to turn his classic rock anthem “Devil Without a Cause” into a reflective country ballad. Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley — members of Pistol Annies — provided vocal harmonies on this tribute to reclaiming country life.
Rock made his mark by using an informal conversational flow with offbeat bursts of syllables called syncopation to add depth and complexity to his melodies. Many modern country stars have since attempted to emulate Rock’s style; Sam Hunt was even nicknamed “The Country Drake” due to his production quality and conversational delivery style. Meanwhile, many bigwigs in the music industry have noticed country rap’s rising popularity and sought opportunities by teaming up with rising stars or creating crossover hits themselves.
Wyclef Jean
Even though segregation of the music industry was eliminated decades ago, its legacy can still be felt today in how genres are labeled. An examination of awards shows will reveal that country and rap music often belong to separate categories despite sharing musical DNA.
Hip-hop has had an enormous influence on country, from storytelling techniques to instrument sounds. A notable impact of Hip-Hop on country is in the form of using “clap or snap” tracks – drum-machine loops with canned finger or hand claps on every fourth beat of each measure – as a form of drum machine loop.
Wyclef Jean has long been an important player in both hip-hop and country. As one of the former Fugees members, he serves as an intermediary between old heads and young talent. Recently he released “Stop The Hatred”, featuring Asian American rapper MC Jin.
Jean draws upon his Haitian roots throughout his life, whether promoting global mobility or fighting for his native land of Haiti. Through Wyclef Goes Back to School he hopes to remind listeners that human curation still matters in an age when streaming algorithms determine which music gets discovered.
Kenny Rogers
Rogers was a master at crossing genres – from being a teen-pop star in the 1950s, folk rocker with the New Christy Minstrels in the ’60s, arena-packing country star in the ’70s (and beyond), drawing upon influences as varied as jazz trio Bobby Doyle Three to Mickey Newbury’s 1967 hit “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In).” These influences helped him create 21 No.1 hits (along with double albums of classics) plus five TV series based around hits like “The Gambler” and Dolly Parton duet “Islands in the Stream.”
His music was gentle yet bold, breaking boundaries while leaving room for future artists to experiment with their own combination of sounds and styles. He is widely recognized for redefining our perception of what country music could be – enriching lives along the way.
Life Is Like a Song is an all-new collection of eight never-before-heard recordings by country/pop icon Garth Brooks, featuring eight new tracks recorded live at his Nashville studios and never released before. These eight never-before-heard recordings offer fans of country/pop singer/songwriter Garth the opportunity to experience his captivating love songs and captivating story songs as well as rock and roll, Zydeco, bluegrass soul gospel interspersed with his signature contemporary aesthetic.