Meet Cowboy Troy: The Pioneer of "Hick Hop"
By Carly Blustein, 11th grade
July 28, 2005

Dallas-native Troy Coleman, dubbed “Cowboy Troy,” has created possibly a new genre of music. As the first six-foot-five black rapping cowboy, he is rapidly setting a definition for “hick hop.” “Rollin’ (The Ballad of Big & Rich),” his first single, captured his audience by surprise because it blended the fast-paced rhymes of rap with the carefree hymns of country music, a task not easily accomplished because of the stark contrast in the two musical types. However, Cowboy Troy, who grew up listening to a variety of artists ranging from Charlie Daniels to ZZ Top to Run DMC, has found that blending different beats can result in the birth of a unique sound.

According to MuzikMafia at Cowboy Troy’s website (www.cowboytroy.com), the University of Texas graduate can provide a simple reason for the formation of “hick hop.”

"When you start writing your own songs, you tend to draw upon those experiences, whatever they may be, and put those together and make a hodge-podge, almost, of music. That's where the idea of "hick-hop" comes from," said Cowboy Troy. "When you see a dance floor get packed with cowboys and cowgirls whenever a Nelly or Ludacris song comes on, you know there's a place for it. It's not just my friends in the 'hood listening to it, it's my friends out in the sticks listening to it as well. It's the kind of thing I'm drawn to and draw upon to make my music the best it can be."

Cowboy Troy was a former Foot Locker employee in Texas, but that doesn’t say much for the outrageous talent and skill he has with languages. As a multilingual singer, he encompasses into his music many of the languages he knows fluently.

I think that Cowboy Troy is just what the music scene needs. He is not trying to fit into the mainstream mold of the Top 40 Countdown, but rather he is trying to create a new genre of music, which will hopefully influence other young artists to define themselves with an equally inventive style of their own.

Cowboy Troy will have a tour this summer if you are interested in learning more about his style. His newest CD called Loco Motive hit stores May 17, 2005, which includes his single, “I Play Chicken with the Train.” For more information, visit www.cowboytroy.com.

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