Big B Featuring Colt Ford, ‘First Round’

Rapper Big B (real name Brian Mahoney) has teamed up with country music's Colt Ford to record 'First Round,' a track from his new 'Fools Gold' album, available on July 9. The laid-back song -- available for early listen exclusively on Taste of Country -- mixes rock, rap and country values around an acoustic guitar and catchy hook.

Big B tells ToC that he's a fan of the hip-hop-leaning country music that is becoming popular, but his goal is to release music that sounds natural. "I’m not your typical artist and I think that’s what makes me stand out," he says. "I just want to make fun music that people can have a good time to and I think that’s what this album does."

Ford and Big B have worked together before, first meeting during the recording of the Moonshine Bandits track 'For the Outlawz.' He wrote 'First Round' with Michael Bradford, who has written with Uncle Kracker and Kid Rock in the past.

"Me and him just started jamming out, starting with the hook. I then wrote the lyrics about being on the road for a long time, needing to take a break, and partying with your friends," Big B explains. "The song was finished and in the can but I went back and re-worked it because I knew it would be even more awesome of a song if I could get Colt on it."

The man who has dubbed himself "hip-hop's bastard" has been cutting albums since 2001. His catalog includes numerous solo albums, as well as releases with hip-hop groups 187 and OPM.

Listen to Big B (Feat. Colt Ford), 'First Round'