Colt Ford

Colt Ford wasn’t the first artist to blend country and rap, but his adventurous take on the hybrid genre—combining heavy beats, traditional twang, and a bold attitude—helped him define it. Born Jason Brown in Georgia in 1969, Ford spent a good chunk of the ‘90s as a professional golfer before he turned to music full-time. He worked behind the scenes as a writer for other artists until 2008, when he dropped his debut full-length, Ride Through the Country, via his own label, Average Joes Entertainment. The title track from that album—with a laidback piano reminiscent of Tupac’s late ‘90s hit “Changes” and gospel-adjacent backing vocals, alongside Ford’s flow and guest John Michael Montgomery’s hook—established a winning sound that Ford has pursued since. The balance of elements shifts: At times, Ford has leaned heavy on hip-hop with more aggressive beats as on “Buck ‘Em” (his original theme for The Professional Bull Riders, Inc.) or gone big with arena-ready, Auto-Tuned country rockers like “Drivin’ Around Song.” Armed with a party-time disposition and a love of the red, white, and blue, Ford strikes the ultimate balance between country charm and hip-hop swagger.