Everyone thought it was a done deal. If you were scrolling through TikTok or X (formerly Twitter) in late 2024, you probably saw the rumors. A massive link-up between Morgan Wallen and the Dallas rap heavy-hitter BigXthaPlug.
The hype made sense. Wallen basically lives at the top of the Billboard charts. BigXthaPlug is the guy who made "Mmmhmm" a national anthem and has a voice deep enough to rattle your soul. They were spotted together. They teased it in interviews.
Then, BigXthaPlug dropped his country crossover album, I Hope You’re Happy, in August 2025. Fans hit play, scanned the tracklist, and... nothing. No Morgan.
So, what actually happened?
The Song That Almost Was: "All The Way"
It turns out the collaboration wasn't just a rumor. It was a real plan that fell through at the finish line.
BigXthaPlug eventually came clean in a 2025 interview with Billboard. He revealed that Morgan Wallen was the original choice for the song "All The Way." Honestly, if you listen to that track now, you can hear it. It has that mid-tempo, moody guitar vibe that Wallen has mastered on projects like One Thing At A Time.
But as BigX put it, Wallen "had some stuff happening at the time."
Between Wallen’s massive I’m the Problem Tour and his own studio sessions for his 2025 album, the schedules just didn't align. Instead of forcing a bad timing situation, BigX reached out to Bailey Zimmerman.
Zimmerman stepped in, the song went nuclear, and it eventually hit No. 1 on the Country charts. BigXthaPlug actually said later he was glad it worked out that way. He felt that if Wallen had been on it, people might have credited the success entirely to Morgan’s star power. With Bailey, it felt like two rising stars helping each other up.
The History of Wallen's Rap Obsession
To understand why people are still begging for a Morgan Wallen BigXthaPlug track, you have to look at Morgan's track record. He’s not a country singer who "tried" rap once for a gimmick. He’s genuinely obsessed with the genre.
- Broadway Girls: His 2021 collaboration with Lil Durk shocked everyone by hitting No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
- WHISKEY WHISKEY: He jumped on a track with Moneybagg Yo in 2024 that proved he could hold his own next to Memphis royalty.
- The Drake Cameo: Remember when he showed up in Drake’s "You Broke My Heart" music video? That wasn't a paid gig; they're actually friends.
- Miami (Remix): In July 2025, Wallen doubled down by bringing Lil Wayne and Rick Ross onto the remix of his song "Miami."
Wallen uses 808s and trap drums more than almost any other A-list country artist. BigXthaPlug, on the other hand, is a rapper who grew up in Texas listening to George Strait. It's a match made in heaven. Or at least a match made in a Nashville studio at 3:00 AM.
Will We Ever Get the Official Collab?
Is it dead? Probably not.
BigXthaPlug has been very vocal about the fact that he and Morgan are still "locked in." When BigX received the 2025 Innovator of the Year award, Wallen was actually the first choice to present it to him. Schedules messed that up too, and Shaboozey ended up doing the honors.
The most likely scenario for a Morgan Wallen BigXthaPlug release is a deluxe version of I Hope You’re Happy or a spot on Morgan's next project. BigX has teased that there are "unreleased vibes" in the vault.
"You never know if there’s a deluxe coming out with those guys on there," BigX told The Boot in late 2025. "You just can’t hang it up."
What Most People Get Wrong About Country-Rap
A lot of purists hate this stuff. They think it's "hick-hop" or just a way to game the streaming algorithms.
But if you look at BigXthaPlug’s career, he’s not faking it. He performed at Wallen’s Sand In My Boots Festival in May 2025. He’s done songs with Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, and Darius Rucker.
The reality is that the "country" audience and the "rap" audience are the same people now. Young fans in the South grew up on Young Thug and Eric Church simultaneously. Wallen and BigXthaPlug are just the first artists to stop pretending those two worlds are separate.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're hunting for that specific sound or waiting for the official drop, here is how to stay ahead of the curve:
- Check the Songwriter Credits: Keep an eye on BMI or ASCAP databases for "Wallen" and "Xavier Landum" (BigX’s real name) appearing on the same registration. That’s usually the first sign a song is cleared for release.
- Listen to "All The Way": If you want to know what the collab would have sounded like, go back to the Bailey Zimmerman version. It’s the closest we have to the original vision.
- Watch the Festivals: Wallen is known for bringing out surprise guests during his stadium sets. If BigXthaPlug is spotted in the same city as an "I'm the Problem" tour date, get your phone ready.
- Follow the "South Mix" News: BigX mentioned he's working on a project featuring Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla. There’s a high probability a country-remix or a Wallen feature could sneak onto a project like that to bridge the gap.
The collaboration isn't a matter of "if," it's a matter of "when." Until then, we’ve got plenty of Lil Wayne remixes to keep us busy.