Most people give me flack about my love of country music. I grew up in a very small town and if you’re from a small town then you know that country music and classic rock seem to be staples. Enter country duo Big & Rich.

They’ve taken this genre by storm. They’ve integrated current events, hip hop culture and common vernacular into their funked up country. Along with Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith and the onslaught of young country stars, they’ve brought back the idea of music as a mouth piece for whats actually going on in regular people’s lives – not just the common celebrity troubles (really?) of being rich and driving expensive cars to expensive places with expensive people. Its to the point where I don’t even bother listening to pop or rock stations anymore because nothing speaks to me. With the exception of Timbaland trying to single-handedly save these boring genres, I’m content with my country music.

Remember when music spoke for something? In country radio, its still does. What a way to market a genre that used to get a bad rap. No pun intended.