Black Country Music on Rise

(YoCoUrban.com) – With the rebirth of Black Country Music, a new podcast series will make its debut on BlackPressRadio. “Watermelon, Chicken and Grits” will pay tribute to the history of Country Music showcasing Black country singers and more related content under the YoCo Urban™ label.

YoCo – which is the new acronym for Young Country music – is getting a big boost by artists like Lil Nas X at the moment but he’s certainly not alone. Musicians like Darius Rucker, Anthony Hamilton, Percy Jenkins and even rap groups like Nappy Roots have paid tribute to their country roots. YoCo Urban™ will capture it all.

“It’s not a new thing. Black people have been singing the blues since we arrived in the United States 400 years ago,” said DC Livers, owner of the domains. “We’ve had such a hand in this country but rarely get any credit. It’s great what’s happening with Lil Was and Old Town Road but it was really a long time coming. I don’t think anyone can reverse this trend now.

It was inevitable so we’re honored to be apart of it, especially since it’s the 40th Anniversary of President Jimmy Carter declaring June as Black Music Month,” Livers said.

It’s not even two minutes long, but that didn’t stop millions of people from making Atlanta’s Lil Nas X song “Old Town Road” skyrocket up both the country and hip hop charts.

But it wasn’t much long after that diversity issues reared their head and the conversation shifted from the success of the song to racism. Some felt Black singers or rappers shouldn’t get involved with country music, but others quickly reminded them that country music got its start from Black musicians like Etta James, whose song “I’d Rather Be Blind” was virtually stolen by Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton.

Made worse, Billboard pulled the song from the country music charts and long-time White consumers officially boycotted Wrangler denim for hiring Lil Nas X as a spokesperson for their jeans after the song became a viral sensation.