One characteristic about country music that I marvel at is its flexibility. Country has been blended with other genres with great success in the past. Pop has confidently edged its way into the country arena many times - you got that, Shania and Carrie! There are country songs that are steeped in blues, rock, bluegrass, and jazz. But hip-hop? Yeah, it has happened - and it worked.
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Maybe it seems like these two are odd teammates. But there are some striking similarities. Per power98fm.com, "We know country and hip-hop are their own genres, but sometimes the crossover makes for great results. Both genres are deeply rooted in history and storytelling in their own way." It's clear that "history and storytelling" are foundational elements of country. Bring hip-hop into the mix and magic can ensue. We hunted for a few solid examples of that kind of exciting pairing. Here they are! See if you agree.
"Superman" By Snoop Dogg feat. Willie Nelson
The beloved Red-Headed Stranger / Outlaw Emeritus teamed up with equally beloved Snoop Dogg in 2011 for this song. According to moose106.iheart.com, "Their collaboration truly was an iconic moment in Hip-Hop and Country relations." Another watershed moment came when the pair shared the stage for Nelson's star-studded 90th birthday bash concert. They sang "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die" with gusto. These two laid-back megastars seem to complement each other musically and in their rollicking, relatable philosophy of life.
"Broadway Girls" by Lil Durk feat. Morgan Wallen
This 2021 track shows that Wallen, who is now riding super high on the crest of his I'm the Problem album, can take to hip-hop like a duck to water. He sounds like he has been singing it his whole life. The song had seven co-writers including Wallen and Lil Durk, along with ERNEST and others, per Holler. Their collab began intriguingly, per the outlet. "When Wallen shared a snippet of the then-unreleased 'Broadway Girls,' Durk immediately DM-ed him with a simple message: 'I need that one.'" The rest is dual country and hip-hop history.
"Be Like That" By Kane Brown feat. Khalid and Swae Lee
Per Billboard, Brown said of the track, "It's about all the different feelings you can have in a relationship. And trying not to overthink it. When it gets tough, you want to be on your own, but then you miss the person a second later. I think it's something everyone goes through." How true.
"Old Town Road" By Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
A sticky controversy dogged this song in 2019. Per slate.com, "...'Road' hurtled to No. 1 on the Hot 100, No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and absolutely nowhere on Hot Country Songs, because it's not (currently) allowed on that chart." Billboard evidently decreed at the time that the song was not sufficiently country to be included on that list, according to nbcnews.com. The dust-up probably made a lot of people think about what exactly defines country. Be that as it may, the song was a hit. It occupied the number 50 spot on the Country Airplay chart from Billboard. The song also bagged an impressive slew of awards including a Grammy for Best Pop Duo / Group Performance.
