Rapper BigXthaPlug released his “country-inspired” album I Hope You’re Happy this past Friday, which features a number of different country artists like Ella Langley, Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Bailey Zimmerman and Luke Combs. His collab with Bailey Zimmerman, “All The Way,” topped the country airplay charts, and cracked the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a crossover hit there.

And while there has been some criticism from country traditionalists about a rapper “going country,” and releasing a so-called “country album,” this is more of a collaborations project that features country artists singing the choruses of rap songs. It’s not a country album, and I don’t think it’s really trying to be. We’ve seen EDM DJs like Diplo and Audien do similar projects in the past.

His song with Ella “Hell At Night” was easily one of the fan-favorites, and in an interview with Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton on Amazon’s Country Heat Weekly podcast, he talked about working with her and how he didn’t know who she was until they met in person. Of course, Ella has had a huge year in the country music industry and has become one of the most prominent mainstream young artists, winning big awards and scoring huge radio hits. Although, I’m sure those who listen to BigX and are much more into rap probably don’t know her music as much.

So it was really funny to hear him talk about meeting her for the first time, and he admitted to the hosts that it was the first time he “fell in love with a person the first day,” and that he has a huge crush on her now:

“Ella Langley, I didn’t know who she was at the time. She comes walking up to me, it was like a light like this [makes wide open arms gesture], I felt like was around her. And she was just walking and her hair was just… it was like a movie.

I’ve never fell in love with a person the first day, I was in love. I was in love. I have a crush on Ella Langley. I will say that right now, I do.”

The guys love Miss Ella, and while she’s taking a break from touring at least for this month, I’m sure he’ll only fall more in love once he sees her perform live…

“Hell At Night”

I Hope You’re Happy Tracklist:

1. “I Hope You’re Happy (feat. Darius Rucker)” (Xavier Landum, Krishon Gaines, Tony Coles Anderson, Charles Nelson Forsberg, Chris Stapleton, Anderson East)

2. “Gone (interlude)”

3. “Box Me Up (feat. Jelly Roll)” (Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Gregory “Aldae” Hein, James Gutch, Stavros Tsarouhas, Xavier Landum, Jason DeFord)

4. “All The Way (feat. Bailey Zimmerman)” (Xavier Landum, Charles Nelson Forsberg, Krishon Gaines, Ben Johnson, KK Johnson, Jenna Johnson)

5. “Hell At Night (feat. Ella Langley)” (Xavier Landum, Ryan Vojtesak, Krishon Gaines, Yuval Haim Chain, Rocky Block, Joybeth Taylor, Ella Langley, Ro’Darrion Harrison)

6. “Gift & a Curse (interlude)”

7. “Pray Hard (feat. Luke Combs)” (Xavier Landum, Luke Combs, Nick Monson, Jon Robert Hall, Mark Nilan Jr., Dave Cohen, Krishon Gaines)

8. “Home (feat. Shaboozey)” (Xavier Landum, Collins Obinna Chibueze, Bryant Taylorr, Scoot Teasley, Krishon Gaines, Tony Esterly, Sean Cook, Dave Cohen, Charles Nelson Forsberg)

9. “24/7 (feat. Ink)” (Xavier Landum, JT Daly, Nick Gale, Krishon Gaines, Hank Compton, Emily Weisband, Ro’Darrion Harrison, Atia Boggs)

10. “About You (feat. Tucker Wetmore)” (Written by: Xavier Landum, Jon Hume, Krishon Gaines, Dave Cohen, Laura Veltz, Jackson Nance, David Ray Stevens)

11. “Long Nights (feat. Thomas Rhett)” (Xavier Landum, Krishon Gaines, Ryan Vojtesak, Bryant Taylorr, Mike Ewing, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk)