BigXThaPlug attended his album release party on Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for United Masters
Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug has one thing in common with country music: heartbreak.
Driving the news: His new album features big names in Nashville, including Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Ella Langley.
The title track blends BigX's lyrical flow with Darius Rucker's crooning to mourn a lost relationship. It's good.
What he's saying: BigX said hip-hop and country both rely on storytelling. The album is meant to show he can work in other genres.
"I feel like I'm not just a hip-hop artist — I want to be the best artist in the world," he told the New York Times.
Zoom in: BigX, born Xavier Landum, grew up in the Dallas area, and like every good Texan, he played high school football. He went on to play at a small college in Minnesota.
But he got in trouble off the field and started writing after landing in solitary confinement while incarcerated.
His debut album, named after his son, was released in 2023. The single "Texas" got the attention of country stars Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen, who BigX hadn't heard of before.
He shut down traffic on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge to film "Home" with country singer Shaboozey.
Friction point: BigX was arrested on the eve of his album release last week on marijuana and gun possession charges in Dallas, WFAA reports. He has since been released from jail.
His Dallas album release party was postponed but the rapper celebrated this week in Nashville.
