Cowboy Troy stirs Nashville with 'hick-hop'

By Phyllis StarkTue May 31, 2:45 AM ET

When Cowboy Troy appeared at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas earlier this month, he jokingly wondered what would happen first: Garth Brooks coming out of retirement or Troy himself having a No. 1 album.

Troy clearly came much closer than he ever expected. "Loco Motive" bowed at No. 2 on Top Country Albums last week, with sales of 51,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Nevertheless, Cowboy Troy (born Troy Coleman) knows he is up against some tall hurdles in the country music community, being the first artist to creatively combine country and hip-hop music into a mixture he describes as "hick-hop."

One of the few black artists in country, he says hick-hop utilizes "country instrumentation," including banjo, dobro, fiddle, acoustic guitar and pedal steel, teamed with "shredding rock guitar riffs and a rap delivery."

Despite the challenges that kind of genre-straddling presents, Troy has had the benefit of media exposure most new artists can only dream about, thanks to his association with Big & Rich and their Muzik Mafia artistic collective.

On May 19, two days after the release of "Loco Motive," the striking, 6-foot-5-inch artist performed on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." He has also appeared in Big & Rich's video for "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" and performed on their debut album.

He rapped in front of thousands of Tim McGraw fans when he joined Big & Rich to open McGraw's concert dates last year. McGraw became a fan and asked Troy to write a rap to accompany McGraw's hit "She's My Kind of Rain," which the two then performed together nightly. Troy also got significant exposure on last year's Muzik Mafia tour, which was turned into a series for CMT.

'NATURAL FIT'

Troy grew up in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, listening to country music and says it "seemed like the most natural fit" for his own musical ambitions. But he was also a fan of rap and began combining the genres as a way to "have a little fun with making music." He has been performing in clubs since 1989 and previously released two independent records.

The reception for debut single "I Play Chicken With the Train" has been "kind of a mixed bag," he says. (The "train" is a metaphor for the music business.) The song fell off Hot Country Songs after four weeks.

Knowing his music would be polarizing, Troy briefly toyed with the idea of sending it to radio programers along with a roll of toilet paper and a bottle of Pepto Bismol. "I figured PDs would need one or the other," he says, "depending on how excited they got or how sick they felt" after hearing it.

Troy's association with the Muzik Mafia sprang from a long friendship with Big & Rich's John Rich. That connection landed him a deal on the Muzik Mafia's Warner Bros.-affiliated Raybaw imprint. Troy says had it not been for his Mafia pals, he would still be in Dallas managing a Foot Locker.

Rich, Big Kenny and Warner Bros.' Paul Worley produced "Loco Motive," and many of the Muzik Mafia regulars make guest appearances, including James Otto, Jon Nicholson and Lyric Street artist Sarah Buxton. McGraw also appears on the album.

Troy says he is not sure why there are not more African-American country performers, speculating that "maybe they don't feel as encouraged by their friends and family." But he adds that he does not feel as though he is carrying a banner or paving the way for other black artists. "That would get more into a political thing," he says, "and I save the politics for those in Washington. The pressure on me comes from my own desire to succeed."

Reuters/Billboard

http://news.yahoo.com/s/n...&printer=1

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I give him credit for thinking outside the box, but I just don't think this "hick hop" thing is gonna last. Some people had a hard time dealing with rock combining with rap, now I wonder how they feel about country music and rap. There was some awards show a while back where Big & Rich (Cowboy Troy's former group) was performing and I'm not even gonna lie....they were kinda entertaining to watch.

kev1n is the country expert here. I want to hear what he thinks.

If done right it could work, but I've seen this guy and he ain't the one to do it. Nelly's about as country as we're gonna see a mainstream rapper get I'm afraid. It's hard to see it working with the predominant instrumentation in modern country bmusic ut perhaps using some of those elements it could work.


I wish him well though.
[Edited 6/6/05 16:10pm]

i like to pretend it's not happening. it's one of those rare situations where denial is a really healthy thing to embrace.

sextonseven said:

yeah, I can count on him for this one.

whodknee said:

Nelly/Tim McGraw was the first thing that came to mind when I thought about "hick-hop".....and I personally think having Nelly as the "test" rapper isn't a good way to bring in a new genre. Then again, I could be wrong....people seem to be eating up that song "Over and Over".

Anxiety said:

well as much as the thought makes me cringe too.....there's no ignoring it. It's here.....perhaps to stay.

new genre? I count a total of... one novelty act.

CinisterCee said:

Maybe they need Cowboy Troy to open the door for more serious acts. But yeah, I don't think it'll last either. For some reason,I feel country music fans might have more of a problem with this than hip hop fans.

AnckSuNamun said:

i haven't heard the song, i wouldn't mind checking him out

I dont think UK is gonna be seeing him ever.

I heard a few snippets from his new album on Amazon.com.

He actually brags about how Tim McGraw loves his sound.

He makes Tony M. sound like MF Doom.

He makes Wayne Brady look like Marcus Garvey.

He's garbage.

He's slaw.

He's awful.

(That being said, I'd be front row if he ever went to the Apollo.)

namepeace said:

He makes Tony M. sound like MF Doom.