“Why Not Show Them I Can Sound Like This?”: BigXthaPlug Explains Why He Decided to Go Country with ’All The Way’
By Maxim Mower
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During J. Cole's much-loved Dreamville Festival this month, BigXthaPlug sat down with The 85 South Show to discuss why he's venturing into the country music space this year.
The Texas rapper has established himself as one of the most popular new voices to emerge in the trap space, with the ‘Take Care’ hitmaker becoming synonymous with his candid, heart-on-his-sleeve verses and fiery, hi-hat-laden instrumentals.
However, in recent months BigXthaPlug has been broadening his sound, with the ‘Change Me’ crooner continuing to tease a country-inspired EP featuring Luke Combs, Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen (although, judging by Wallen's words earlier this month, their link-up has seemingly been scrapped) and many more.
The lead single from that momentous project, ‘All The Way’ with Bailey Zimmerman, arrived at the start of April, with the viral anthem surging to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Many have championed BigXthaPlug's genre-blending move as a stroke of genius, with ‘All The Way’ epitomising his ability to explore country-leaning territory while maintaining the dark, stormy sound he has become known for over the years.
During his discussion with The 85 South Show in Raleigh, North Carolina, BigXthaPlug has shed some light on the motivation behind his foray into country, “For me, I think it was just more of showing my artistry...In this industry, they like to put a [label of] ‘Oh, you sound like this, so you're Hip Hop. You sound like this, so you're R&B. So I just felt like, why not show them I can sound like this?”
BigXthaPlug's refusal to be boxed in ensures he is now poised for a ground-breaking year, with his forthcoming country body of work already shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated projects of the year. With BigX sharing a photo from the studio with Post Malone and ERNEST back in February and Jelly Roll confirming he's working on a collaboration with the sought-after rapper last month, it seems that - excitingly for us - there's plenty more where ‘All The Way’ came from.
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