Ohio native, Gregg Phillips returns with his most recent release, “Honky Tonk”. “GP” opted to take a lighter approach with this one, as “Honky Tonk” is a parody hit. A spoof of Country music, to be specific. Since Lil Nas X shook the music business with his smash single “Old Town Road” in 2019, things have been shifting quickly in the realm of music, especially country music. While many generations-old traditions remain, such as down-to-earth lyrics and homespun, backroad hooks, hip-hop, dance, pop, and other genres are infiltrating the country sound. Whether for real of for play, its becoming the sound of the new age. Every day, it appears that an increasing number of people are exchanging in their cowboy hats for baseball caps and their acoustic guitars for 808s.
As startling as this may be for the country’s old guard, for the younger generation, it symbolizes one of the genre’s most thrilling moments of possibility in its long and colorful history. Countless acts are already coming up with amazing methods to further innovate music, discovering that the possibilities are limitless. As a result, Gregg Phillips is doing just that!
Gregg briefly spoke about the new single:
“It’s about a country bar in Nashville, where a guy can fall for that gorgeous blonde girl you can’t resist. It’s fun … upbeat, I want to get people in the mood to dance…”
Overall, Gregg Phillips regards his art as more than just music. Crossing the bridge between hip-hop and country has cultural implications as well. Even if it’s in a playful matter, especially given country music’s less-than-stellar track record when it comes to racism. To that end, Phillips hopes that his breakthrough reflects a larger wave of change. For now, press play on the trendy track and let us know what you think here at 24 Hip-Hop!
