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Rap Meets Country: How Artists Like Post Malone and BRELAND Blend Genres

The line between rap and country is blurring, with Post Malone and BRELAND leading the charge. What once felt like an impossible crossover is redefining the industry’s perspective on how…

The line between rap and country is blurring, with Post Malone and BRELAND leading the charge. What once felt like an impossible crossover is redefining the industry's perspective on how we define, market, and listen to music. Post Malone and BRELAND have emerged as significant representatives of the fusion genre.

The Rise of Genre-Blending Artists

The convergence of rap and country didn't start with Post Malone or BRELAND, but their prominence illustrates how mainstream the trend has become. With streaming platforms, social media, and evolving cultural tastes, we are now at the beginning of a new era of hybrid soundscapes. Today's artists are no longer bound by conventional radio formats or award categories.

One of the most widely recognized examples of genre-mashing occurred in 2019, when Lil Nas X released his "Old Town Road" remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. In what was essentially a mashup of trap beats and country twang, "Old Town Road" exceeded every conceivable expectation. The song sat at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks and subsequently sold over 18 million copies internationally. More importantly, it made it clear to the industry that experimental blending of genres can lead to direct commercial opportunities. 

As audiences discover international genres like K-pop, Latin pop, and Afrobeats, they're much more willing to entertain music that blurs boundaries.

Post Malone: From Hip-Hop to Country Crossover

Post Malone, born Austin Richard Post in Syracuse, New York, was raised in Grapevine, Texas. He grew up with country music in his blood; his father was a DJ, and Post credits him for exposing him to many artists, from George Strait to Metallica. While Post is best known for "White Iverson" (2015) and his hip-hop sensibilities, he hasn't completely strayed from his country influences.

His pivot toward country became more pronounced in recent years. At Coachella 2024, he headlined a full-length country set, performing acoustic renditions of originals and collaborations with Nashville stars. These consisted of Ernest, HARDY, and Thomas Rhett, three artists who have established reputations for stretching the parameters of the country genre. Malone's live performance can be described as country with fiddles and steel guitars as part of his road setup.

Malone's next country album, which will follow his country crossover F-1 Trillion, has been rumored to feature more than 35 songs, suggesting he is all in on evolving the country genre as an artist. In addition, his presence at Coachella and Stagecoach further solidified him as a genre-bending performer who can exist in a myriad of musical realms without sacrificing authenticity.

BRELAND: The New Face of Country Trap

Daniel Gerard Breland, known professionally as BRELAND, hails from Burlington Township, New Jersey. With gospel-singing parents, he was exposed to spiritual and soulful music early on. He later got a business degree from Georgetown University, which gives him a different vantage point as a creator of music and a music business thinker.

BRELAND appeared out of nowhere with "My Truck," a viral hit in 2019 that charmingly mixed trap beats with country lyrics. The single went platinum and spawned remixes from country stars like Sam Hunt. It marked the beginning for BRELAND as a new voice in the "Cross Country" movement, which he coined and hearkened to with a debut album by the same name in 2022.

The Cross Country album is made up of 14 tracks and features collaborations with country superstars Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Mickey Guyton, Ingrid Andress, and Lady A. BRELAND's lyricism combines the authenticity of writing with versatility in genre, appealing to fans of rap and country music. Breland respects both of those styles in his execution; he doesn't parody country, instead, he engages with it sincerely, using his hip-hop roots to create something that is new but still authentic.

The Impact of Genre-Defying Artists on the Music Industry

The emergence of Post Malone and BRELAND represents more than a trend — it is a complete rethinking of the industry. Because the music industry ties itself to fixed genre labels, it becomes extremely difficult to market these artists in traditional radio formats or to identify them in awards categories.

Yet the success of these two artists is inspiring others to follow suit. With artists like Jelly Roll and Shaboozey pushing musical boundaries, genre fusion is becoming less of a novelty and more of a norm.

The Future of Genre-Blending in Music

As genre lines dissolve, artists are finding unprecedented creative freedom. Shaboozey blends trap hip-hop with country storytelling and recently performed a country-themed set at Coachella's “Country Hour.” T-Pain — long known for his auto-tuned R&B and hip-hop hits — also crossed into country territory at Stagecoach, illustrating how artist identity is no longer bound to a single genre.

The movement is also tech-based. The practice of music creation uses more AI and machine learning tools that hybridize sounds. Tools like streaming services and social media have created a utility that democratizes sound, which encourages young musicians to explore new ways of making music without institutional red tape. As a result, the next wave of musicians may think less about fitting in and more about standing out.

The Evolving Soundscape of Modern Music

Post Malone and BRELAND are reshaping the way we think about genre. Their music not only mixes rap and country but also questions the idea that rap and country must exist separately. As a result, Post Malone and BRELAND are creating a culture of music that is more inclusive and open to exploration, allowing artists to grow uninhibited and encouraging listeners to enjoy a wider range of sounds.