Rapper Nelly enlisted two of country’s fastest-rising newcomers — Blanco Brown and Breland — to join him for his new single, “High Horse.” With an uptempo, danceable beat that delivers a massive dopamine hit, the song borrows just as much from funk and club music as it does from country twang.
That’s a perfect fit for Brown and Breland, both of whom are known for bending genre in their own unique ways. Brown rose to fame with his viral hit “The Git Up,” a song that exemplified his patented, unique style of self-described “trailer trap.” The singer quickly proved his appeal at country radio, too, ascending to No. 1 with “Just the Way,” a collaboration with Parmalee.
Meanwhile, Breland has been catching fans’ ears in 2021, duetting with artists from every corner of country music. He’s teamed up with everyone from Dierks Bentley to Mickey Guyton to Keith Urban, and his high, soulful voice and magnetic songwriting vision blend elements of gospel, R&B and pop into his country music.
“Good music brings all types of people together,” explains Nelly of his new song. “And this track, “High Horse,” is a bangin’ track that merges my style with boys Blanco and Breland’s styles. When I woke up the next morning after recording it, I thought, ‘Wow, we did something really wild last night!’
“After a tough year for everyone,” Nelly adds, “I hope “High Horse” brings hip-hop fans and country fans together to celebrate us all being together again!”
“High Horse” is the second single off of Nelly’s forthcoming Heartland project, a country-inspired album due out on Aug. 27. It follows “Lil Bit,” Nelly’s duet with Florida Georgia Line, which also appears on Heartland‘s tracklist.
The country collaborations won’t stop there, though: In teaser posts from the rapper on social media, he has hinted at another duet, “Gritz & Glamour,” with Kane Brown. That would be his second team-up with Brown, following his remix of the singer’s “Cool Again.”
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