Is Country Music Turning Into “Hick-Hop”?

Before I begin, I want to ask you to (please) read to the bottom of the entire post and watch the videos so you can see what I'm talking about here, ok? Now with that said...

I've worked at 98.1 The Hawk since 2001 and I love EVERY minute of it. But lately I have been noticing a trend of mixing music genres together.  You may be aware of the last time this happened. Our Conway Twitty & Johnny Cash flavor of country music was traded in for a mix of Country and Rock. Then we started calling it Country Rock and now we know it as just Country Music.

Now, we have a new sound. It has been chastised by the Zac Brown Band and othersl It has a genre name - HICK-HOP. A mix of Hip-Hop and Country.   It started with an in your face rap with the friend of Big and Rich's Music Mafia, Cowboy Troy:

With the latest releases like Blake Shelton's - Boy's 'Round Here, which is a country song that is the same beat as Cali Swag District's - Teach Me How To Dougie. They ACTUALLY REFERENCE THE SONG in Blake Shelton's hit:

Then there's Jason Aldean's - 1994:

and Luke Bryan's - That's My Kinda Night.

I have a feeling THIS is where our current artists are taking Country Music.

Will this style Country last? Or do you see it as simply this as hip-hop with a fiddle and an acoustic guitar novlety that will fade and die with time, never to be played again? You remember Billy Ray Cyrus and Achy Breaky Heart Right? :-)

I think some of our country artists are changing direction to appeal to a younger crowd and cashing in.

Laura Bell Bundy, (who you may, or may not have heard of) has been on the country music scene for years, but without a #1 hit. Now she has just teamed up with Colt Ford for her shot at this new genre:

Colt, the guy you see rapping on Laura's video is a self proclaimed pioneer in the new "Hick-Hop" Genre and plays anywhere he can. From stages with the pros to mudding arenas with his Hick-Hop comrades. Some of which are extremest when it come to portraying Hick-Hop, like the group The Lacs. Here's one of thier songs - Kickin' Up Mud:

So what do you think of the new direction for country music? Are you on board with the new sound?

-Rich