Get To Know: Big Kuntry King

Who: Big Kuntry King

From: Atlanta, GA

Why You Should Get To Know Him: Because he invented the phrase "Going H.A.M."

Big Kuntry King is no stranger to the fame. The ATLien rapper started in the Trap Music scene a while ago, having befriended T.I. and ultimately uniting under the Grand Hustle flag. His grind got him his own solo deal with Atlantic Records years back, and he's been at it ever since. With his upcoming project Dope & Champagne, Big Kuntry aims to deliver hot music to both worlds: the streets (a la dope) and the clubs (a la champagne). He's more focused than ever on being a superstar. Checking in with Groove, he talks about his experiences in the game thus far and how his new phrase is "Goin' slap."


You've been doing this for well over a decade. How do you respond to people calling you a "new artist"?
I like it. It's like a second chance to do it right this time [laughs]. So you know, that's how they treat me. I'm "new," but I'm growing real fast.

With Dope & Champagne, what did you decide to do differently from what you hadn't done in the past?
Me and music are one. So this music is more about the streets and the club life, because that's all I'm into right now. Like, I'm always in the club it feels like, and it started to mix up in Atlanta. So I just started rapping about that, and flows just started coming out. That's the thing. Right now, I just got my business more in order. I feel like I'm able to do a lot more interviews. Get out more, don't be scared of the mainstream, because once you start getting that underground fame, you never want to leave it. People like you so much when you're the underdog in the underground, but there's way more money in the mainstream. We all know this.

Big fish in a small pond mentality.
Exactly, and sometimes growing as an artist is like a fear. You don't wanna lose it, because so many artists lose. They got people pullin' on them left and right. Now, I'm growin' but I control this music. I feel like if I don't make the bull crap, no way they can put out the bull crap.

Have you worked with T.I. yet on this project?
Yeah, I have a song on there with him. We just went in on that one.

What have you noticed were the changes in Hip-Hop that you felt you had to adapt to when you approached this new project?
I feel like the streets and the club combined. That's why I named it Dope & Champagne. I'm out here and always know what's going on. That's why I feel like I'm ahead of the curve. I'm the guy who made up "Going H.A.M." Then I watched the two biggest guys in Hip-Hop, Jay-Z and Kanye West, blow up making that record. I was like, damn, I made up that saying. I might be too ahead of myself when I do things.

Did they ever thank you for that?
Nah, but they will. Thank me later, like Drake. You just have to be happy they used it. They don't really know who started it. They too big for them to know that, but there will come a time when they'll find out and they'll acknowledge it and thank me. Because those are some good guys. I know those guys. My new saying is "Goin' slap."

Goin' slap?
Yeah, we goin' slap in the club. We go slap with that money, we go slap over your head, and if that girl booty big, we go slap on that booty. [laughs] You heard it here first.