Morgan Wallen was an unstoppable power in 2023. After dropping his third studio album, One Thing at a Time, on March 3, the nation singer exploded out the gates with one of the greatest first-week gross sales of the yr. He moved over 501,000 album-equivalent items, and the mission debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The LP’s chart place then remained unshaken for months on finish and wasn’t toppled by any rap releases till Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape got here alongside in July.
Additionally, all 36 tracks from Morgan Wallen’s expansive album entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart, shattering Drake’s report for many songs by an artist on the chart at one time, in addition to the report for many debuts on the chart, with 27. Needless to say, Morgan Wallen was one of the greatest artists of 2023, however the nation star has additionally closely dipped his toe into hip-hop’s waters these previous few years. Wallen had beforehand linked with Lil Durk for his tune “Broadway Girls” in 2022, however did so once more with “Stand by Me” off Durk’s Almost Healed album in May. He even went fishing with the OTF chief over the summer time, and not too long ago was gifted an official OTF chain.
Aside from his blossoming relationship with Durk, Morgan Wallen additionally not too long ago appeared alongside Drizzy in his newest music video for “You Broke My Heart.” Despite the blowback, Wallen obtained for utilizing a racial slur on digital camera in February of 2021, there have been different situations of Morgan Wallen shouting out rappers and rappers displaying him love.
Check out a few of the instances beneath when nation’s greatest star paid homage to hip hop.
-
Morgan Wallen Wants to Work With Kendrick Lamar
The world was shocked when Lil Durk and Morgan Wallen linked for “Broadway Girls” on Dec. 17, 2021. However, the observe debuted in the No. 1 slot on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart. Wallen mentioned in an interview with Druski on the Clubhouse app on Dec. 30 of that yr that he’d like to work with extra rappers.
“I do love [Moneybagg Yo]. He’s definitely at the top of the list,” Wallen mentioned. “But like overall, ever… I’m trying to think of not just in the past little bit… Kendrick Lamar would be pretty cool.”
-
Lil Durk Brings Out Morgan Wallen at Show
In January of 2022, Lil Durk introduced out Morgan Wallen throughout a set at the Martin Luther King Freedom Fest in Nashville, Tenn. The duo carried out their hit “Broadway Girls,” and Durkio shouted out the nation singer, calling him, “genuine at heart.”
“Can’t nobody cancel s**t. What I be saying? Know what I’m saying?” Durkio mentioned at one level.
-
Diddy Shows Support for Morgan Wallen
A yr after Morgan Wallen was caught on digital camera utilizing a racial slur, Diddy mentioned sufficient was sufficient and sought to bestow forgiveness on the controversial nation star in May of 2022. Diddy was set to host the 2022 Billboard Music Awards and put Morgan Wallen on the invoice. He additionally placed on Travis Scott, who was nonetheless coping with the fallout from the 2021 Astroworld tragedy.
“Travis went through a tragedy; Morgan [used the N-word] while talking to his boy,” Diddy mentioned in an interview with Billboard. “People make mistakes. Now we’re moving on with love and respect for everybody that was hurt or affected. It’s time to forgive.”
He continued, “To have Morgan and Travis be able to come back and touch the stage again with the mindset of getting a second chance at life. Everybody in the room is getting a second chance at life, you know, because we’re back inside with no masks on. We need love and I’m excited about celebrating that.”
-
Morgan Wallen Samples Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan
Upon the launch of One Thing at a Time in March of 2023, hip-hop followers shortly realized that one of Wallen’s 36 songs included a pattern from Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan’s “Lifestyle.” On the album’s thirty first observe “180 (Lifestyle),” Wallen flipped Thugga’s early hit, and bought permission to make use of the pattern from Thug’s camp. He even sat down for a assembly with 300 Entertainment’s Kevin Liles.
“I told him he had to send the demo to me, immediately,” Liles mentioned to The Tennessean. “[Thankfully], it was honorable, loving, respectful and truthful to being a rap record from a modern country perspective.”
He continued, “[Morgan] is a creative person who tells a true story and loves hip-hop music and culture. [‘180’] transcends genres.”
Young Thug can also be credited as a songwriter on the observe.
-
Morgan Wallen Brings Out Lil Durk at Chicago Show
During the Chicago cease on Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time Tour in July of 2023, the nation crooner introduced out Lil Durk to carry out their joint observe “Stand by Me.” The smiling rapper hopped round on stage whereas the pair gave the first stay efficiency of their observe. Videos from the night present the nation crowd eagerly singing alongside.
-
Morgan Wallen Goes Fishing With Lil Durk
In May of 2023, Lil Durk hopped on Instagram and shared a photograph of himself flexing a newly caught fish alongside Morgan Wallen. The pair, who have been decked out in camo, had determined to go fishing in the Tenessee lakes close to Wallen’s hometown.
“Family is family can’t nothing change that p.s I’m done wit fish [two tears of joy emojis],” Durk captioned the image.
Wallen additionally shared the identical photograph on his IG, writing: “Durk done pulled up and taught me how to fish.”
-
Lil Durk Teases Country Album With Morgan Wallen
Lil Durk mentioned in June of 2023 he would possibly make a drastic transition into nation, and he desires his first nation album to be created with Morgan Wallen.
“Me and Morgan should do a album together [gold cup emoji] 1st to do it,” he wrote on Instagram Story at the time.
Durk added in the caption: “Everything we do we win might as well do a country album 1st to do it [mending heart emoji].”
-
Morgan Wallen Gifted OTF Chain From Lil Durk
A TikTookay video shared on Dec. 4, 2023 confirmed Morgan Wallen backstage presumably throughout his One Thing at a Time Tour. He was standing alongside an OTF affiliate, who unboxed a glistening OTF chain courtesy of Durk himself. Embroidered on the again are the names of “Stand by Me” and “Broadway Girls,” the two songs Durk and Wallen have recorded collectively.
“We appreciate you being more than a friend, a brother,” the affiliate informed Wallen.
-
Morgan Wallen’s DJ Opens Show With Eminem
During a three-show run at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. beginning on Dec. 3, 2023, The New York Times reported that Morgan Wallen’s DJ performed Eminem’s “Without You” to rile up the crowd shortly earlier than Wallen took the stage.
“Eminem’s ‘Without Me’: The crowd roared knowingly,” the Times wrote. “Putting Wallen’s sentiments in Eminem’s mouth saved him from having to say anything himself.”
Needless to say, the publication wasn’t precisely a fan of the present.
-
Morgan Wallen Stars in Drake Music Video
On Dec. 20, 2023, Morgan Wallen appeared in the music video for Drake’s Scary Hours 3 single “You Broke My Heart.” Starring alongside Drizzy himself, the nation singer even had a few strains to ship in the Theo Skudra-directed visible.
“I didn’t like her,” Wallen says whereas consuming dinner with the 6 God. “I think she might have been the wrong girl anyway.”
Drake provides: “Well, what now? I’m kinda glad she gone… Let’s see what else is out there. That’s what we need to do.”
However, the ex-lovers each stars have been referring to and different plans.
Discussion about this post