I Hope You're Happy (BigXthaPlug album)

BigXthaPlug, born Xavier Landum, had been experimenting with country influences since his 2022 breakout single "Texas", which combined slide guitar with Southern rap swagger.^[1][2] The track's success brought him recognition from country stars including Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Post Malone.^[1][2]

At the start of 2025, BigXthaPlug hinted in a Billboard interview that a country music project was in the works, despite not having begun it at the time.^[3][1] "I go and do a Billboard interview and I straight up say, 'I got a country project on the way'", he later admitted. "And I never had a country project on the way...After I was like, 'Damn'".^[3][1] His team encouraged him to commit, and soon after, country artists such as Jelly Roll expressed interest in collaborating.^[3][1]

The project, originally titled Not Just Country, was developed over the course of eight months and became BigXthaPlug's longest recording process yet.^[3][1] It follows his 2024 album Take Care, which debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and contained the hits "Mmhmm" and "The Largest".^[3][4][5]

The album was officially announced in June 2025 during CMA Fest, where BigXthaPlug confirmed the track list and August 22 release date.^[4] He revealed the collaborations in July at Apple Music's Los Angeles studio.^[5][6]

The lead single, "All the Way" featuring Bailey Zimmerman, was released ahead of the album and debuted in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100.^[1][4] The follow-up single, "Home" featuring Shaboozey, gained additional attention after its music video shoot shut down a Dallas street.^[4]

Thematically, the album centers on the emotional fallout of a failed relationship, with BigXthaPlug alternating between bitterness, regret, and gratitude.^[3][1][2] Collaborations with country artists bring distinct flavors: Darius Rucker lends a bluesy tone to the title track, Jelly Roll provides mournful vocals on "Box Me Up", Luke Combs delivers a booming chorus on "Pray Hard", and Ella Langley joins for the scathing break-up anthem "Hell at Night".^{[1][2][4][5][6]}

Musically, the record blends trap percussion with country guitar riffs and stadium-ready choruses.^[1][2] Rolling Stone described it as "a temperature check for where country is in the back half of 2025," citing the mix of brooding male vocalists and genre-bending production.^[2]

More information Review scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Rolling Stone	[2]

Close

Hope You're Happy received generally positive reviews from critics. Michael Saponara of Billboard praised BigXthaPlug's ability to merge hip-hop with country authenticity and highlighted tracks like "Pray Hard" and "Box Me Up" as standouts.^[1] Maura Johnston of Rolling Stone gave the album three out of five stars, noting its appeal to country listeners while commending the emotional nuance in songs such as "24/7" and "Hell at Night".^[2]

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[7]