Pickup trucks and Benzes

Over the last few years, there have been a few topics I would have liked to write my thesis about, instead of the French educational system. One of these fantasy theses would compare country music to hip hop. Though one is rural while the other is urban, and one has mostly White artists while the other has mostly Black artists, both represent minority cultures that value what is looked down upon by mainstream culture. In their songs, they assert the validity of their nondominant cultural references.

A few examples from country songs:
"Just a boy in a pickup truck with a tendency of getting stuck" (Taylor Swift)
"You were hangin' your feet off the tailgate of Billy Don's Ford" (Julianne Hough)
"I ain't never seen a country boy with tires on his truck this high" (Jake Owen)

There are definite parallels between these references and references to bling, cars, and certain neighborhoods in hip hop as signs of cultural authenticity. ("I am truly country/hood.") However, country music tends to express more nostalgia for rural Southern culture, while hip hop paints a decidedly more negative portrait of urban environments, historically to raise awareness about social problems. These trends vary from song to song, of course, which is why it would take a thesis (or book) to thoroughly compare and contrast the two music genres.

The only time I have seen country and hip hop come together is "Over and Over Again," by Nelly and Tim McGraw. Watch it here. If only the two were bridged more often...