Neither country star Bailey Zimmerman or rap hitmaker BigXthaPlug had ever hit the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 before — but now they both have together, with their new team-up “All the Way.”
The relationship-gone-bad trap ballad bows at No. 4 on the Hot 100 (Apr. 19) this week, and features BigX taking on the rap verses in between Zimmerman’s sweet-and-sour sung hook. The combination has proven particularly irresistible for streaming audiences, with the song debuting atop the Streaming Songs chart this week.
Whose career does the song’s early success mean more for? And what other country-rap star pairs could do even bigger things on the charts? Billboard answers these questions and more below.
1. BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman’s new collab “All the Way” debuts at No. 4 on the Hot 100 – higher than either artist has ever peaked before. On a scale from 1-10, how surprised are you by the song’s immediate success?
Christopher Claxton: In terms of surprise, I would rate my level at a 2. The fusion of country music and hip-hop is not a new phenomenon, and its popularity is well-established and is making a comeback. For example, consider the chart success of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” — a genre-blending track that is neither strictly hip-hop nor country, but a crossover that resonated strongly with American audiences, which spent a record-tying 19 weeks atop the Hot 100.
Kyle Denis: 8. On paper, this collaboration makes complete sense. My surprise stems from the fact that I didn’t know this song was even coming out last week – and I certainly didn’t expect such a splashy first week since neither artist is known for lofty single debuts.
Elias Leight: 4 — while BigXthaPlug had never hit the top half of the Hot 100 before, he’s quietly been earning more than 50 million on-demand streams a week in the U.S. for most of the last two months. When an artist has that kind of dedicated fan base, he’s poised for this kind of explosive moment. It doesn’t hurt that he teamed up with Zimmerman, who is already an established country hitmaker.
Jason Lipshutz: A 9. Obviously popular music is preoccupied with the intersection of country and hip-hop right now — we’re only a few months removed from one country-rap hybrid, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” tying the all-time Hot 100 record set by another country-rap hybrid, Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” — but neither of those smashes scored a top 5 debut on the chart, instead riding to the upper tier. “All the Way” is an anomaly, not just because of its high-powered debut but because BigXThaPlug had never scored a top 10 hit before, while Bailey Zimmerman had once before with a song that sounds nothing like this collaboration. I could have foreseen “All the Way” eventually growing into a crossover hit, but a No. 4 debut is genuinely startling.
Andrew Unterberger: An 8. I certainly thought there would be a good chance for BigX to score his biggest hit with one of the country collabs he’d teased, but I thought it would be with a slightly more proven crossover hitmaker than Bailey Zimmerman. But I’m sure that in retrospect it won’t actually seem that surprising at all.
2. Which of the two artists do you think the song’s impressive debut means more to, BigX or Zimmerman?
Christopher Claxton: The chart success of “All the Way” likely holds greater significance for Zimmerman. While he currently has seven tracks on the Hot 100 not including “All the Way”, only two are from 2024, with the others dating back to 2022 and 2023. In contrast, BigX has experienced substantial momentum, charting five tracks on the Hot 100 in 2024 alone. That said, BigX still has reason to celebrate — this marks his first top 10 hit, whereas it is Zimmerman’s second.
Kyle Denis: Probably BigX. Zimmerman at least has a handful of Hot 100 top 40 hits – including the No. 10-peaking “Rock And a Hard Place.” BigX has only hit the Hot 100 thrice before, and none of those entries broke the chart’s top 60. Your first top 40 hit doubling as a No. 4 debut must feel pretty special.
Elias Leight: For BigX, who’s been flying under the radar despite his enviable streaming numbers, “All the Way” is a mainstream breakthrough — a level-up moment. And while Zimmerman has already had a top 10 hit with “Rock and a Hard Place,” “All the Way” shows that wasn’t a one-off, while also introducing him to an audience of hip-hop fans that probably hadn’t heard him previously.
Jason Lipshutz: BigX — simply because, unlike Zimmerman, “All the Way” is now by far his biggest hit. “Mmhmm” served as a breakthrough for the Dallas native, but that single only peaked at No. 63 on the Hot 100, a hip-hop radio staple that couldn’t quite muster a full-blown pop crossover. While that moment could have defined his career for a bit, the No. 4 debut for “All the Way” suggests that BigX is quickly moving on to bigger hits and a greater national profile; Zimmerman will continue to rise in the country world, but BigXThaPlug might have just punched his ticket to rap stardom.
Andrew Unterberger: I think it might actually be Zimmerman — it introduces him to a new audience and proves he has the juice in a way beyond what people probably expected of him. Though I guess you could say the same of BigX, so it’s pretty close to a draw here.
3. Does this single’s runaway success tell you something new or interesting about the commercial potential of hip-hop and country collabs right now – or is it more just about these artists and this song?
Chris Claxton: The strong debut of “All the Way” further supports the idea that the fusion of hip-hop and country is making a resurgence — one that has been building momentum over time. We witnessed a major breakthrough with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” remix, which spent 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2019, mirroring the success of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Even in the early 2000s, we saw the success of the fusion in tracks like Nelly’s “Country Grammar (Hot S**t).” The data reflects what listeners are gravitating toward, and it seems likely that we’ll see a continued rise in this hybrid sound — especially with the upcoming release of BigX’s hip-hop-country project, which has strong potential for success.
Kyle Denis: I’m inclined to say it’s just these artists and this song. It’s hard to tell how invested consumers are in country crossovers after such a jam-packed 2024. Chappell Roan’s “The Giver” isn’t exactly lighting the charts on fire and Lana Del Rey’s “Henry, Come On” didn’t have an explosive debut, but Shaboozey and Morgan Wallen still have songs in the Hot 100’s top 10. I think BigX and Zimmerman are both buzzy artists with a lot of social media pull and relatively young fanbases – and Bailey’s backwards cap-over-cowboy hat style pairs well with BigX’s Texan rap bravado. Their union just made sense, and it doesn’t hurt that the song is catchy.
Elias Leight: Hip-hop country collaborations have been commercially potent for more than a decade. Many of these are one-offs — Tim McGraw and Nelly, Moneybagg Yo and Morgan Wallen — or the work of newcomers: Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, Breland and Sam Hunt. BigX’s trajectory is more unusual, in that he is a successful rapper pivoting to put out a project dedicated to country hip-hop fusions. Considering that the two longest running Hot 100 hits both have one foot in rap and one in country, it’s clear that this combination remains formidable.
Jason Lipshutz: Five years separated the chart runs of “Old Town Road” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” with some country-rap hits in between but nothing close to those songs’ respective scales. The top 5 debut of “All the Way” hints that a greater wave is about to crash down, though, to satisfy a wide swath of listeners that is clearly interested in the combination of rap verses and country hooks. BigXThaPlug and Zimmerman were both on upward trajectories upon the release of “All the Way,” but its immediate success has less to do with their journeys and more to do with what pop listeners are generally looking for at the top of their streaming playlists these days. I’d expect an influx of songs like this over the next 6-12 months.
Andrew Unterberger: I think the song’s success does demonstrate the potency of a rap-country combo right now — though I would caution artists and execs from putting too much stock in there being a consistent X + Y = Z formula here. We will see some rappers and country singers team up to great returns in the next couple years, I believe, but not as many as we’ll see making similar attempts and ending up just looking kinda silly and desperate.
4. If you had to guess one of these two artists to have another top 10 Hot 100 hit before the end of the year, which would it be?
Christopher Claxton: BigXthaPlug is the obvious pick for me. As previously mentioned, he has a country-inspired project on the way, featuring notable artists such as Shaboozey, Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen and more. BigX has already collaborated with Shaboozey on the track “Drink Don’t Need No Mix,“ which I personally enjoy. The song charted on both Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts — not quite the Hot 100, but still a noteworthy first collaboration. The performance of that track could serve as valuable feedback to help shape a true Hot 100 hit in the future. Plus, with several other unrevealed collaborations on the upcoming project, there’s no telling what surprises might be in store.
Kyle Denis: The smart bet is probably Zimmerman given his track record, but I feel like BigX has one or two more eye-popping collabs in the tuck.
Elias Leight: BigX: The high-flying debut of “All the Way” gives him a lot of momentum as he moves towards the release of the full project, and last year, he said he was recruiting other heavy-hitters as collaborators, including Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Post Malone.
Jason Lipshutz: BigXThaPlug because, while Zimmerman has proven to be adept at connecting with casual country listeners, songs like “Mmhmm” and “All the Way” demonstrate that BigX has a canny sense of pop sizzle. His rumbling flow can be magnetic even when he’s not trying to engineer a hit single, but BigX has a keen ear for flashy production and major hooks, understanding exactly how to fit his delivery into a song that could take off outside of his core listenership. “All the Way” may center Zimmerman’s chorus, but BigX knows exactly what he’s accomplishing with a track like this.
Andrew Unterberger: Definitely BigX with all those collabs coming — but I’m also pretty bullish on Zimmerman’s stock, so I’d say it’ll likely be both by the end of 2025.
5. Without naming either Kendrick Lamar or Morgan Wallen, who would be your perfect star rap/country pairing in 2025 for maximum commercial impact?
Christopher Claxton: This may be a hot take, but I would love to see a collaboration between A$AP Rocky and Jessie Murph. Jessie has already demonstrated her ability to flow on hip-hop–influenced production, as seen in her collaboration with Jelly Roll on “Wild Ones,” which was an exceptionally well-executed track. Her work with BigX on “Holy Ground” further proves her versatility. A$AP Rocky, known for his adaptability and consistent delivery, could bring a unique energy to a country-inspired beat. He’s proven time and again that he’s a skilled rapper, and a country-hip-hop blend could offer a refreshing, playful twist to his sound, and offer him a moment to have fun with his music.
Kyle Denis: Drake and Jelly Roll – let’s hope it never happens.
Elias Leight: Doechii and Megan Moroney.
Jason Lipshutz: Let’s go with Tyler, The Creator and Kacey Musgraves, a pair of A-listers who have a long history of coloring outside of their respective genre lines. A Musgraves hook on a Tyler song, a la “Like Him” with Lola Young, would absolutely crackle.
Andrew Unterberger: J. Cole and Zach Bryan.
