Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug has dropped his third studio album, I Hope You’re Happy, on August 22, featuring collaborations with country stars like Luke Combs and Jelly Roll. The 11-track project explores themes of heartbreak and personal growth, drawing from the artist's recent breakup. It builds on the success of his previous releases and a chart-topping single.
BigXthaPlug, a rising Dallas rapper, unveiled his third studio album, I Hope You’re Happy, on Friday, August 22. The project marks a bold genre shift, fusing hip hop with country influences across 11 tracks. Collaborators include country heavyweights Darius Rucker, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Shaboozey, Bailey Zimmerman, and Jelly Roll, highlighting the artist's versatility.
Album Themes and Inspiration
The album delves into heartbreak and personal growth, inspired by BigXthaPlug's real-life breakup. He described the process in an interview on The New York Times’ “Popcast,” saying, “It just so happened I went through every step of a breakup... You break up. You don’t talk to them for a little bit. Then you see ‘em, ‘How you doing?’ You link up for a little bit. I went through every step of that, all while I was making this project.” The title track serves as an emotional letter to his former partner, capturing the raw stages of separation.
On experimenting with genres, BigXthaPlug explained, “I really wanted to go a different lane with it at first. I wanted to just show I was an artist... the name of the project at first was Not Just Country.” This follows his momentum from the single “All the Way,” which hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Release Highlights
Accompanying the album are visuals for “Box Me Up,” featuring Jelly Roll, and a cinematic trailer directed by Jerry Morka. The trailer includes evocative imagery, such as a woman holding a Texas bluebonnet against a burning house backdrop. I Hope You’re Happy succeeds his 2023 debut Amar and 2024's TAKE CARE, both well-received. Before music, BigXthaPlug pursued football but turned to songwriting during jail time, jotting lyrics on medical forms.
The release underscores the growing crossover between hip hop and country, offering fans a genre-bending listen now available for streaming.