Decades ago, country and rap were completely different genres of music. There was little overlap or common ground found between them. Today, while the styles themselves are still quite different, the genres have found increasing popularity in collaboration. Country rap songs are some of the most popular songs on the radio, likely because they bring together people from very different musical backgrounds.

Old Town Road and a Modern Resurgence of Country Rap Songs
While country and rap music have certainly borrowed from each other in the past, as many musical genres do, a modern resurgence with emphasis on collaboration is currently taking over the radio waves. The most popular country rap song of its decade, which fully engrossed the world and introduced country listeners to rap and vice versa was Old Town Road by Lil Nas X.

Lil Nas X’s song includes classical rap elements in the verses. The chorus, however, includes trademarks of country music like guitars and a thick twang to every word. The collaboration between both decades and genres was solidified when Lil Nas X released a recording of the song with country star Billy Ray Cyrus, who sang hits of the country 1990s and 200s like “Achy Breaky Heart.”

Lil Nas X’s song broke streaming records and remained Billboard’s number one song for a stunning nineteen weeks! This wide commercial success took a budding genre and launched it to the forefront of musical innovation. While the idea of crossing over between genres was not new, Lil Nas X found the right way to do it to successfully branch fans of many genres.

Blanco Brown and The Git Up
During the same time that Lil Nas X and Old Town Road were rising to stardom, another artist was launching a popular country rap career.

In 2019, Blanco Brown released The Git Up. This song also takes elements of both country and rap. However, unlike Old Town Road, which features rap verses and country choruses, The Git Up blurs the lines in a different way. The whole song is performed in a rap-style, but the content and instruments are country-inspired.

The Git Up sounds like a piece called by a square dance caller. In this way, it is almost a throwback to older country, rather than combining rap with modern country.
The song quickly took off and become popular as people did dance challenges to the moves that Blanco Brown calls out.

Other Country Rap Songs
Country rap songs have been popping up for several decades, but only some of the songs have launched to success, none quite reaching the success of Lil Nas X and Old Town Road. However, in listening to these songs, we can see the way these two genres have melded with increasing popularity.

Cruise by Florida Georgia Line is one of these songs. The song launched before Old Town Road hit the charts. Cruise was the top country song in 2014. This song launched and solidified a subgenre of country referred to as “yee-haw” or “bro country,” which strongly features elements of hip hop and/or rap.

Sam Hunt himself is considered a solid country artist. However, most of his work has strong pop and/or hip-hop influence. His verses, particularly in songs like Hard to Forget and Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90s are rhythmically spoken, like rap. His work does not involve as much collaboration as most country rap songs, but the influence of hip hop is clear in the style Sam Hunt evokes.

Country rap songs have launched to the top of the charts lately. This genre melds elements of both rap and country music, and it is incredibly popular because it targets listeners from both demographics.