Blanco Brown

Galloping down the old town road paved by Lil Nas X, Blanco Brown spliced country twang, hip-hop bounce, and trap on "The Git Up," the summer 2019 single that gave him his first hit. Where Lil Nas X was as inspired by video games as country music, Brown displayed deeper, stronger country roots -- not to mention a sense of humor that led him to dub his fusion "TrailerTrap" -- a vibe that helped his 2019 debut, Honeysuckle & Lightning Bugs, crack the Top 20 of the country charts. A handful of additional singles carried him forward, including 2021's "Nobody's More Country" and 2022's "Trap Still Bumpin" with T.I..

A native of Georgia, Blanco Brown grew up dividing his time between the small town of Butler and the metropolis of Atlanta. He'd spend the school year in Butler, then head to the big city in the summer. This cross-pollination bore musical fruit many years later.

Prior to becoming a recording artist, Brown worked behind the scenes as a producer and songwriter. He collaborated with Pitbull and Fergie, and produced the 2018 World Cup anthem "Goalie Goalie," all before Broken Bow Records signed him to a recording deal in 2018.

Released in the first half of 2019, the Blanco Brown EP was quickly overshadowed by the single "The Git Up." Appearing while Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" consumed America's consciousness, "The Git Up" capitalized on the country-rap craze. It also helped that Brown had a clever Internet component -- a dance challenge posted on YouTube and TikTok. The viral attention helped him debut at 66 on Billboard's Hot 100 in June 2019. "The Git Up" wound up climbing to 14 on the Hot 100 and 44 on Country Airplay. After its chart run wrapped up, Brown released his debut album, Honeysuckle & Lightning Bugs in October, reaching 16 on the Top Country Albums chart. A follow-up single, "I Need Love," appeared in 2020 with the Parmalee and Bryce Vine collaboration "Just the Way" arriving a year later. Brown's tongue-in-cheek single "Nobody's More Country" was released later in 2021. In 2022, he paired with fellow Atlanta-native T.I. for "Trap Still Bumpin," the first track off their collaborative 2023 EP. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine