BigXthaPlug isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo. But when the Dallas rapper learned he had been named Variety’s hip-hop disruptor of the year, his first impulse was to laugh. “When you say disruptor, that means you’re causing a scene,” he says. “I was like, ‘Man, is it a good thing or a bad thing?’ Then I thought about it — it means I’m making noise. I guess I’m the good version of the class clown.”
That self-awareness defines BigX’s unlikely rise. In just a few years, he has gone from regional favorite to national force, balancing heavy bars and country soul while maintaining complete independence. His crossover hit, 2024’s “All the Way,” featuring rising country star Bailey Zimmerman, didn’t just blur genre lines, it bulldozed them on its way to a Top 5 debut on the Hot 100.
“I originally made that song for Morgan Wallen two or three years ago,” BigX says. “He never ended up getting on it, but we always knew it was a great song.”
Calls went out to country crooners, and when Zimmerman’s version arrived, BigX immediately knew they’d found their man. “It was just different. We ran with it, and here we are.”
Behind the scenes, “All the Way” came together through a creative chain. Producer Charley Cooks began sketching out guitar loops when he heard BigX wanted to explore country music. “We sent those ideas to Ben Johnson, who wrote the hook with Jenna and KK Johnson,” Cooks recalls. “Then I sent everything to Bandplay, and he took it from there.”
For Bandplay, the genre fusion came naturally. “Being in Nashville, I’m around that country sound all the time,” he says. “I just took what I already heard and put what I do in the hip-hop scene on top of it.” Cooks, meanwhile, says the challenge was striking the right balance. “I was trying to figure out how we could make this work for X and still be in his world.”
The finished song, a slow-burn anthem about heartbreak and broken promises, sounds as comfortable on country radio as it does blasting from car speakers. While it’s a detour from his usual hard-hitting rap, BigX sees a clear through line. “Whether it’s rap or country, it’s all storytelling,” he says. “It’s all substance. That’s what connects.”
The collaboration’s success cemented BigX’s reputation as an artist capable of bridging cultures. “I was nervous at first,” he admits. “But I gained a whole different fan base.” The country establishment also reacted favorably. “When we showed everybody the music and explained how we wanted to do it, we had 100% support from the country lane.”
For BigX, breaking rules isn’t just a creative mantra — it’s a mission. The rapper, who proudly remains independent, has built his empire from the ground up. “My pops always taught me, you got to be your own boss,” he says. “When I came in the game, I knew I wanted to be independent. I wanted to be able to call my own shots.”
BigX’s focus has now shifted toward expansion. “I want to conquer everything: movies, commercials, my own label,” he says referring to 600 Entertainment, which has signed artists like Ro$ama and Yung Hood. “I’m trying to get them to be bigger than I am. I’m trying to retire early, be a mogul.” As the spotlight grows, BigX is quick to remember why he first picked up a mic. “It’s not for fame or the internet,” he says. “I’m doing this to take care of my kids.”
Songwriters: Xavier Landum, Charles Nelson Forsberg, Krishon Gaines, Ben Johnson, KK Johnson, Jenna Johnson
Producers: Bandplay, Charley Cooks, Austin Shawn
Bandplay, producer
Charley Cooks, producer
Aaron Hunter, A&R, UnitedMasters
Ben Johnson, songwriter
Jesse Morav, A&R, UnitedMasters
