The throughline between country music and NASCAR is obvious to anyone who has had the pleasure of checking out one of the sport's countless broadcasts.
That relationship will be even more evident before Sunday's Daytona 500, because not only will there be a legion of country music fans in attendance, there also will be a songster adding his name to The Great American Race's glint history.
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That would be Breland, the 27-year old artist who's blending new-age rap with old-time country to craft a musical style all his own.
Not only has the musician sold millions of records, he also has fostered ties between hip hop and hillbilly, two genres that can feel far more disparate than their roots would have you believe.
Here's what you need to know about Breland, the artist NASCAR tapped to sing the national anthem at the 2023 Daytona 500:
Who is Breland?
Among new-age artists, Breland's name may seem unfamiliar to race fans, but he has established quite the following among younger music fans by developing a tone and tenor all his own.
Breland initially came to prominence in Atlanta, earning placements with platinum recording artist Trey Songz, among others.
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He thrust himself into the national conscience with his 2019 track "My Truck," an ode to trucking across rural America.
The song mixed elements of hip hop production with the content one would expect from country, tethering the two styles to each other. Suffice to say, it was a mammoth hit; it has racked up more than 100 million streams.
That was only the start for Breland. He pieced together a poignant self-titled EP in 2020 that made numerous references to the racial unrest that descended on the United States throughout the year. The record climbed to the No. 48 on Billboard's country charts.
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Breland's star has only risen since. He has gained praise not just as a singer but also a songwriter. He co-wrote two tracks with country music royalty Keith Urban and collaborated with Thomas Rhett for the 2022 track "Praise the Lord," one of the lead singles for his debut studio album, "Cross Country."
Below are some of Breland's biggest hits, as well as their accompanying lyrics:
My Truck
You can drink my liquor You can call my lady You can take my money You can smoke my blunt Scuff these Jordans You can say you hate me You can call me crazy, but Don't touch my truck (skrrt, skrrt) Skrrt (yeah, yeah) Skrrt Don't touch my truck (brrp, yeah) Skrrt (woo-oh) Skrrt Don't touch my
V8 engine with the windows tinted Boy, we came from the bottom, got it out the mud Whole block jumpin' 'cause the subs stay hittin' If they roll up on me, know I keep one tucked (ooh, yeah)
Woo Tell them boys come and get me I be ridin' through the city Young, rich and I'm pretty Homie, don't get it twisted Keep a semi in the hemi (oh) Red cup full of Henny My hitters come in plenties, for real
You can drink my liquor You can call my lady You can take my money You can smoke my blunt Scuff these Jordans You can say you hate me You can call me crazy, but Don't touch my truck (skrrt, skrrt) Skrrt (yeah, yeah) Skrrt Don't touch my truck (brrp, yeah) Skrrt (woo-oh) Skrrt Don't touch my
Wood grain dash with the matte black finish And it match my shawty with the big ol' butt Know them boys soft 'cause they got hard feelings You can try me if you wanna go and test your luck (woo)
Tell them boys come and get me (get me) I be ridin' through the city Young, rich and I'm pretty (yeah) Homie, don't get it twisted (yeah) Keep a semi in the hemi (in the hemi) Red cup full of Henny (yeah, we drinking) My hitters come in plenties, for real
You can drink my liquor You can call my lady You can take my money You can smoke my blunt Scuff these Jordans You can say you hate me You can call me crazy, but Don't touch my truck Skrrt Skrrt Don't touch my truck Skrrt Skrrt Don't touch my
Woo, ooh, woo, ooh, woo, ooh Don't touch my truck (woo, ooh) Don't touch my truck
Beers On Me (Dierks Bentley feat. Breland and Hardy)
Everybody's got a problem, so do I But we ain't gonna solve 'em on a Saturday night I just put a paycheck in the bank And I ain't hit the town in a minute to drink You had one of them, one of those weeks Stuck on repeat, I'll save you a seat
Come on down, swing on by Bring whatever's been on your mind Locals on tap and bottles on ice Livin' on feel-good standard time My card's on the bar, you got nowhere to be If you don't come through, buddy, that's on you 'Cause the beer's on me Yeah, the beer's on me Ain't that right, Hardy?
Yeah, I'ma get a round or two for all I want Just bustin' your back while you're cussin' the sun And if your girl don't love you no more Well, here's a tall-boy to cry in and it's been paid for And if you're short on cash, say cheers But don't sweat it, leave the sweatin' to the beer
And come on down, swing on by Bring whatever's been on your mind Locals on tap and bottles on ice Livin' on feel-good standard time My card's on the bar, you got nowhere to be If you don't come through, buddy, that's on you 'Cause the beer's on me Yeah, the beer's on me
Oh, oh Oh (drink it down) I like my drinks like my roof, on the house We turnin' up, got double cups, the sun's goin' down With lagers, I'm a boxer, yeah, I need 'bout twelve rounds And I could be your sponsor if you like how that sounds Tell me what you're drinkin', buckets for a Lincoln I could cover you and me and everyone you're bringin'
Come on down, swing on by Bring whatever's been on your mind Locals on tap and bottles on ice Livin' on feel-good standard time My card's on the bar, you've got nowhere to be If you don't come through, buddy, that's on you 'Cause the beer's on me (yeah) Yeah, the beer's on me, the beer's on me Gonna save you a seat (oh-oh-oh-oh) 'Cause the beer's on me
Come get a Bud heavy, Busch Light Kill a cold Miller, Blue Moon, Red Stripe Naturday, it don't matter to me 'Cause don't nothing taste better than free Yeah, the beer's on me
Throw it Back (feat. Keith Urban)
If she get a shot of whiskey, she know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley, told the DJ, "Throw it back" She look better every Thursday, she don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings, I just hope she throw it back
Throw it, throw it back Drop it low, you can blame it on the Jack, ayy Slow it down, girl, I'm tryna make it last, ayy If you sexy and you know it, make it clap Throw it, throw it, throw it back
I threw it on back Nothing says summer like the way she make me feel (feel) A tall glass of natural woman I can tell that she keep it real (she keep it real, yeah) A green light She'll give it to you, gotta get it 'fore it turn red (ooh-hoo) Hotter than a flame I barely know her name, but I'm damn sure willing to bet (yeah)
If she get a shot of whiskey, she know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley, told the DJ, "Throw it back" She look better every Thursday, she don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings, I just hope she throw it back
Throw it, throw it back Drop it low, you can blame it on the Jack, ayy Slow it down, girl, I'm tryna make it last, ayy If you sexy and you know it, make it clap Throw it, throw it
Better thank Jesus, making them peaches Georgia Bulldog got me SEC-sick She on that wave and I'm deep in Tryna buy another round (throw it back) Let me see the levee-breakin' Chevy, super heavy-duty Toot-toot for the dude-dude, babe Bubble-bubble, you been eating your McDoubles And it's trouble for me
If she get a shot of whiskey, she know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley, told the DJ, "Throw it back" She look better every Thursday, she don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings, I just hope she throw it back
Throw it, throw it back Drop it low, you can blame it on the Jack, ayy Slow it down, girl, I'm tryna make it last, ayy If you sexy and you know it, make it clap Throw it, throw it, throw it back (do it to 'em, Keith)
If she get a shot of whiskey, she know how to throw it back She turn up for Elvis Presley, told the DJ, "Throw it back" (throw it back) She look better every Thursday, she don't have to throw it back Shawty got me catching feelings, I just hope she throw it back (hmm, won't you)
Throw it, throw it back Drop it low, you can blame it on the Jack, ayy Slow it down, girl, I'm tryna make it last, ayy If you sexy and you know it, make it clap Throw it, throw it
Throw it back Drop it low, you can blame it on the Jack (on the Jack) Slow it down, girl, I'm tryna make it last, ayy If you sexy and you know it, make it clap Throw it, throw it, throw it back
For What It's Worth
Mm Bad habits, my second chances always turn into three and four Late nights, all them back and forth fights finally turn into heartbreak war I admit that I was immature and I was insecure I took advantage for granted having my hand in yours I don't know if I should say this but I can't make it worse Baby, you can take this
For what it's worth I hope that you're happy now and that you found what you didn't in me For what it's worth I'd trade everything I have for what I had, I know that talk is cheap But for what it's worth I done did some growing up, I ain't out there getting drunk I can be what you deserve 'Cause now I see your heart, your mind, your every curve And your love for what it's worth
God honest, I never wanted to be a memory that you wish you never made Wish you never left, you were right I guess when you said we were better off this way 'Cause now you got me looking in the mirror and not just in the rear I know that I can't make this right, but let me be clear Girl, there's nothing I can say that you ain't already heard Baby, you can take this
For what it's worth I hope that you're happy now and that you found what you didn't in me For what it's worth I'd trade everything I have for what I had, I know that talk is cheap But for what it's worth I done did some growing up, I ain't out there getting drunk I can be what you deserve 'Cause now I see your heart, your mind, your every curve And your love for what it's worth
For what it's worth I hope that you're happy now and that you found what you didn't in me For what it's worth I'd trade everything I have for what I had, I know that talk is cheap But for what it's worth I done did some growing up, I ain't out there getting drunk I can be what you deserve 'Cause now I see your heart, your mind, your every curve And your love for what it's worth Oh For what it's worth Oh
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord for southern women, Hemi engines, crispy chicken Praise the Lord for east Atlanta, Country Grammar, and my nana Praise the Lord that I got everything I want and need and more (yeah) I might turn up on Saturday, but first thing Sunday morn' I praise the Lord (yeah)
Praise the Lord for sister Julie, big ol' hat and tambourine She keeps playin' when we're shoutin', doesn't know that she's off beat Praise the Lord for my bartender, turns a single into two We went crazy out there last night, we need savin' in this pew It don't matter how you worship, sinner, saint, win or lose
Praise the Lord for southern women, Hemi engines, crispy chicken Praise the Lord for east Atlanta, Country Grammar, and my nana Praise the Lord that I got everything I want and need and more I might turn up on Saturday, but first thing Sunday morn' I praise the Lord
He rockin' with me, that's for sure (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord He rockin' with me, that's for sure (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord
Praise the Lord for my three babies and the one that's on the way All the words up in the Good Book and dirt up on my Chevrolet Praise the Lord for Sunday mornin' and paycheck Friday afternoons For cold beer conversation and broke in cowboy boots It don't matter how you worship, sinner, saint, win or lose
Praise the Lord for southern women, Hemi engines, crispy chicken Praise the Lord for east Atlanta, Country Grammar, and my nana Praise the Lord that I got everything I want and need and more I might turn up on Saturday but first thing Sunday morn' I praise the Lord
He rockin' with me, that's for sure (oh, mm, oh, oh, oh) (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord He rockin' with me, that's for sure (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord Praise the Lord (ooh-ooh-ooh, oh) (Praise the Lord) praise the Lord
