With so many country rap artists putting out dozens of country rap songs every year, it can be overwhelming for newcomers to find artists they might love listening to as a start. So, we’ve compiled a list of 30 country rap artists worth listening to, even if you are new to the genre. Take note that there is no particular order to this list.
1. Upchurch
Born on May 24, 1991, Ryan Edward Upchurch, or “Upchurch” in the music industry, is a country rapper from Cheatham County, Tennessee. His album called River Rat got released on December 21, 2018. On December 27, 2018, the album climbed to the number-one spot on the iTunes charts.
2. Colt Ford
Colt Ford is an ex-pro golfer best known for fusing country music with hip-hop. He has released six albums under Average Joe’s Entertainment, a record label he co-founded. Ford charted six times on the Hot Country Songs charts. He also co-wrote “Dirt Road Anthem” with Brantley Gilbert.
3. The Lacs
The Lacs is a country rap duo composed of Clay Sharpe and Brian King. The name of their group is short for “Loud Ass Crackers.” They have three albums under Backroads Records, a subsidiary of the label company owned by Colt Ford, Average Joe’s Entertainment. Their second album, 190 Proof, made it in April 2012 into the Billboards Charts.
4. Moonshine Bandits
A rap duo consisting of Tex and Bird, the Moonshine Bandits is a country rap group formed in 2003 in California. The Moonshine Bandits have several albums under their belt, one of which is their acclaimed Gold Rush album that they released in October 2018.
5. Jawga Boyz
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The Jawga Boyz is a country rap group formed in 2003 in Athens, Georgia. The group has released several studio albums, including their 2014 Tailgate Music album. It climbed to No. 22 on the Country Albums Chart, 17 on the Rap Albums Chart, and 155 on the Billboard 200 during its debut.
6. Bubba Sparxxx
Born on March 6, 1977, Warren Anderson Mathis, or Bubba Sparxxx, is a country rapper from Georgia. His well-known singles include “Ugly,” “Deliverance,” and “Ms. New Booty,” which peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 at the No. 7 spot.
7. Big Smo
John Lee Smith, or Big Smo, is a country rapper, producer, songwriter, and film director with several minor and independent labels under his belt. His major label debut album, Kuntry Livin’, released in 2014, made it to three Billboard charts. The same year, Big Smo also became the subject of an eponymous reality TV series on A&E.
8. Kid Rock
Kid Rock’s career has spanned over 20 years, with his musical style alternating between rock, hip-hop, and country throughout that time. However, country music has dominated his musical direction ever since releasing his Born Free album in 2010.
9. Yelawolf
Yelawolf embarked on his career in 2005 and made it into the mainstream in 2010 with his Trunk Muzik EP. His second album in 2011, Radioactive, was under Shady Records, a label owned by famous rapper Eminem. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 27.
10. Lenny Cooper
Lenny Cooper is another country rapper under Colf Ford’s Average Joe’s Entertainment label. He debuted in 2012 and, in 2014, released his third album, “The Grind,” which featured collaborations with Bucky Covington, Bubba Sparxxx, and of course, Colt Ford. The album sold 2,400 copies in its first week. It also debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
11. Rehab
Rehab is a southern rock, country, and alternative hip-hop band with seven albums. Four are under Universal Republic and Epic Record, with two albums for each label. Rehab is well-known for its “Bartender Song,” which became a massive hit in 2000. Sadly, the group has already disbanded after their 2014 farewell tour.
12. Haystak
Born as Jason Winfree on March 22, 1973, Haystak is a country rapper from Nashville, Tennesee. He mostly raps about his life as a “white-trash” and an underprivileged white man in the South. He debuted in 1998 under a local rap label called Street Flavor. On June 2018, Haystak signed a five-year deal under RhymeSick, a record label owned by Statik G.
13. Earl Dibbles Jr.
Earl Dibbles Jr. is a country music artist from Dallas, Texas. He’s released seven studio albums, one extended play, and a live album. In 2013, he released his seventh album, “Dirt Road Driveway,” which reached No. 11 on the US Indie Charts and 15 on the US Country Charts.
14. Nappy Roots
Nappy Roots is a Southern Rap quartet from Louisville, Kentucky, and were considered the best-selling hip-hop group of 2002. They are well-known for their hit country rap songs such as “Roun’ The Globe,” “Po Folks,” and “Good Day.”
15. Lil Wyte
Lil Wyte is the owner of the independent record label named Wyte Music and a member of the rap collective, Hypnotize Minds. Wyte’s debut album in 2003 was a massive hit. Even without promotion, it sold over 135,000 copies. The album featured artists such as Frayser Boy, Three 6 mafia, and Josey Scott. “Oxycotton,” “Acid,” and “My Smoking Song” were the album’s three most popular songs.
16. Everlast
Everlast is famous for his solo work and being the frontman of the House of Pain hip-hop group. He is also a part of La Coka Nostra, a hip-hop supergroup comprising other rappers and House of Pain members. In 2000, Everlast and Carlos Santana received a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for the song “Put Your Lights On.”
17. Cowboy Troy
Cowboy Troy is a country rapper and a member of the MuzikMafia, an aggregation of country music singers and songwriters. In addition to his seven studio albums, the rapper also released one EP. Three of these albums are under Warner Bros. Records. Cowboy Troy has charted twice on Billboard’s country singles chart.
18. Young Gunner
Young Gunner is known for being a member of the country rap group called Jawga Boyz. Gunner launched his solo career in 2015, becoming known for singles such as “Mudgrips on Everything” and “Dirty Girl.”
19. Boondox
Country rapper Boondox is known for his stage persona as a turncoat dirty and killer scarecrow. His music combines hip-hop with the southern twang of harmonicas and banjos. It delivers a compelling mixture of country elements with funk-derived grooves, live instrumentation, and hip-hop beats.
20. Sarah Ross
Sarah Ross was a contestant on American Idol Season 12. There she showed off her cross-genre style by singing a Carrie Underwood song and rapping “Super Bass” for Nicki Minaj herself. The country rapper is well-known for her singles “Calm Before the Storm” and “Shotgun.”
21. Moccasin Creek
Moccasin Creek is one of the few country rap artists with a more progressive and raw voice in the country rap scene. They dismantle the existing crop of sweethearts and gentlemen and feed their fans’ cravings for hard-lined lyrics that talk about their hard-lived lives.
22. Danny Boone
Danny Boone is a country rapper from Warner Robins, Georgia. he is also the founding member of the groundbreaking country rap group Rehab. Boone released his first solo album in 2014 called Fish Grease. It’s under Average Joe’s Entertainment, a record label owned by a fellow country rap artist, Colt Ford.
23. Twang & Round
Twang & Round consists of two Kentucky boys pursuing music with a passion but keeping their trade true to life. Their music showcases their wide range of influences. Their music draws inspiration from artists such as Black Crows, Outkast, UGK, Creedance Clearwater Revival, and even the Beastie Boys.
24. Charlie Farley
Charlie Farley is an Arkansas country rapper with self-issued digital tracks, mixtapes, and even videos, which resulted in a record deal and a place on the country charts. His ease with country rap landed him a production deal with Phivestarr Productions and, later, an album deal with Colt Ford’s Average Joe’s Entertainment.
25. Seth Anthony
Seth Anthony is a country rap artist born in Florida. After spending eight years in prison, he started a music career. He released his most popular hit songs in 2018; “That’s What I Wanna Do,” “Roughnecks Fall in Love,” and “Ballad of an Outlaw.”
26. Bottleneck
Bottleneck is a southern country rapper famous for his hick-hop style of rap music. He lives in Jacksonville, United States, and was born on October 2, 1974. Bottleneck is renowned for his songs “Dirt Road Soldiers” and “Homegrown Country Folks.”
27. Redneck Social Club
Redneck Social Club comprises Lex and Frenchie, who met in a dark alley a few years ago. After pursuing diverse musical paths, the two reunited in Music City, USA. It became the breeding ground for their cross-genre style, which they call “country music with swag.”
28. Swamprats
Swamprats is a country rap duo comprised of Arzilla and Rabid. The group evolved from releasing garage rock singles from the 1966-1977 era and started producing captivating country rap songs. The duo is known for their songs “Horses and Dynamite” and “Swamprats Rowdy.”
29. Apalachee Don
Apalachee Don is a charming country rap artist from a small Georgia town called Monroe. He became famous for his song Country Roads which featured The Marshall Brothers. The song blew up on YouTube, reaching more than 40 million views.
30. Eminemmylou
With millions of hits online, Eminemmylou is one of the most-listened-to artists in the UK. She held the number one spot on the Myspace Country Charts for over fourteen months. She is well-known for mixing hip-hop with the Grand Ole Opry, resulting in what some call “Hip Hopry.”
While there are more country rappers out there, and the number will undoubtedly continue to grow each year, this is our list of country rap artists worth listening to, even if you’re new to the genre. Hopefully, you’ll find a few country rap artists with country rap songs that you’ll love listening to repeatedly.
Tags
Colt Ford, Earl Dibbles Jr., Kid Rock, Ryan Upchurch, Yelawolf