There’s a new sub-genre of rap music being birthed out of Memphis, a combination of both Hip-Hop and blues. Al Kapone, who’s behind the “Whoop That Trick,” is working magic in the studio by combining both genres of music to come up with something fresh for his new album. Not only is he introducing a new flow of music but also his new name, Big Al.
“You know you got Al Kapone, Al Kapeezy, oh boy, now we gone add Big Al,” Al Kapone said when trying to explain it, adding, “The only thing that makes it different is Hip-Hop is bass heavy, the drums and of course, you’re rapping. Blues is more instrumentation and a lot more singing.”
Big Al says he has been polishing this sound since 2020, believing he’s the first one who is “fully locked into it.” In 2020, there was one effort to merge the two sounds out of the Mississippi Delta.
Fat Possum/Epitaph put out an album called New Beats From The Delta featuring Hip-Hop versions of songs by Junior Kimbrough, CeDell Davis, T-Model Ford and Johnny Farmer. Hip-Hop producers like Organized Noize, Big Oomp and Tha Go were tapped for this project.
Big Al said he’s going to change the game and influence others, per Action News 5.
“Any young artist out there that gets a dose of what I’m doing, I would say that I’m definitely laying the blueprint out where they can take it and take it to the next level,” Big Al said. “That’s why I’ve been taking my time to really make sure it sounds the way it wants to be heard. And to respect the blues and respect the Memphis Hip-Hop fusion that makes sure I’m giving them both their love and respect.”
Big Al hopes his new untitled project will be released in September.
