Morgan Wallen was an unstoppable force in 2023. After dropping his third studio album, One Thing at a Time, on March 3, the country singer exploded out the gates with one of the biggest first-week sales of the year. He moved over 501,000 album-equivalent units, and the project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The LP’s chart position then remained unshaken for months on end and wasn’t toppled by any rap releases until Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape came along in July.
Additionally, all 36 tracks from Morgan Wallen’s expansive album entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart, shattering Drake’s record for most songs by an artist on the chart at one time, as well as the record for most debuts on the chart, with 27. Needless to say, Morgan Wallen was one of the biggest artists of 2023, but the country star has also heavily dipped his toe into hip-hop’s waters these past few years. Wallen had previously linked with Lil Durk for his song “Broadway Girls” in 2022, but did so again with “Stand by Me” off Durk’s Almost Healed album in May. He even went fishing with the OTF leader over the summer, and recently was gifted an official OTF chain.
Aside from his blossoming relationship with Durk, Morgan Wallen also recently appeared alongside Drizzy in his latest music video for “You Broke My Heart.” Despite the blowback, Wallen received for using a racial slur on camera in February of 2021, there have been other instances of Morgan Wallen shouting out rappers and rappers showing him love.
Check out a few of the times below when country’s biggest star paid homage to hip hop.
Morgan Wallen Wants to Work With Kendrick Lamar
The world was shocked when Lil Durk and Morgan Wallen linked for “Broadway Girls” on Dec. 17, 2021. However, the track debuted in the No. 1 slot on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart. Wallen said in an interview with Druski on the Clubhouse app on Dec. 30 of that year that he’d love to work with more rappers.
“I do love [Moneybagg Yo]. He’s definitely at the top of the list,” Wallen said. “But like overall, ever… I’m trying to think of not just in the past little bit… Kendrick Lamar would be pretty cool.”
Lil Durk Brings Out Morgan Wallen at Show
In January of 2022, Lil Durk brought out Morgan Wallen during a set at the Martin Luther King Freedom Fest in Nashville, Tenn. The duo performed their hit “Broadway Girls,” and Durkio shouted out the country singer, calling him, “genuine at heart.”
“Can’t nobody cancel s**t. What I be saying? Know what I’m saying?” Durkio said at one point.
Diddy Shows Support for Morgan Wallen
A year after Morgan Wallen was caught on camera using a racial slur, Diddy said enough was enough and sought to bestow forgiveness on the controversial country star in May of 2022. Diddy was set to host the 2022 Billboard Music Awards and put Morgan Wallen on the bill. He also put on Travis Scott, who was still dealing with the fallout from the 2021 Astroworld tragedy.
“Travis went through a tragedy; Morgan [used the N-word] while talking to his boy,” Diddy said in an interview with Billboard. “People make mistakes. Now we’re moving on with love and respect for everybody that was hurt or affected. It’s time to forgive.”
He continued, “To have Morgan and Travis be able to come back and touch the stage again with the mindset of getting a second chance at life. Everybody in the room is getting a second chance at life, you know, because we’re back inside with no masks on. We need love and I’m excited about celebrating that.”
Morgan Wallen Samples Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan
Upon the release of One Thing at a Time in March of 2023, hip-hop fans quickly realized that one of Wallen’s 36 songs included a sample from Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan’s “Lifestyle.” On the album’s 31st track “180 (Lifestyle),” Wallen flipped Thugga’s early hit, and got permission to use the sample from Thug’s camp. He even sat down for a meeting with 300 Entertainment’s Kevin Liles.
“I told him he had to send the demo to me, immediately,” Liles said to The Tennessean. “[Thankfully], it was honorable, loving, respectful and truthful to being a rap record from a modern country perspective.”
He continued, “[Morgan] is a creative person who tells a true story and loves hip-hop music and culture. [‘180’] transcends genres.”
Young Thug is also credited as a songwriter on the track.
Morgan Wallen Brings Out Lil Durk at Chicago Show
During the Chicago stop on Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time Tour in July of 2023, the country crooner brought out Lil Durk to perform their joint track “Stand by Me.” The smiling rapper hopped around on stage while the pair gave the first live performance of their track. Videos from the evening show the country crowd eagerly singing along.
Morgan Wallen Goes Fishing With Lil Durk
In May of 2023, Lil Durk hopped on Instagram and shared a photo of himself flexing a newly caught fish alongside Morgan Wallen. The pair, who were decked out in camo, had decided to go fishing in the Tenessee lakes near Wallen’s hometown.
“Family is family can’t nothing change that p.s I’m done wit fish [two tears of joy emojis],” Durk captioned the picture.
Wallen also shared the same photo on his IG, writing: “Durk done pulled up and taught me how to fish.”
Lil Durk Teases Country Album With Morgan Wallen
Lil Durk said in June of 2023 he might make a drastic transition into country, and he wants his first country album to be created with Morgan Wallen.
“Me and Morgan should do a album together [gold cup emoji] 1st to do it,” he wrote on Instagram Story at the time.
Durk added in the caption: “Everything we do we win might as well do a country album 1st to do it [mending heart emoji].”
Morgan Wallen Gifted OTF Chain From Lil Durk
A TikTok video shared on Dec. 4, 2023 showed Morgan Wallen backstage presumably during his One Thing at a Time Tour. He was standing alongside an OTF associate, who unboxed a glistening OTF chain courtesy of Durk himself. Embroidered on the back are the names of “Stand by Me” and “Broadway Girls,” the two songs Durk and Wallen have recorded together.
“We appreciate you being more than a friend, a brother,” the associate told Wallen.
Morgan Wallen’s DJ Opens Show With Eminem
During a three-show run at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. starting on Dec. 3, 2023, The New York Times reported that Morgan Wallen’s DJ played Eminem’s “Without You” to rile up the crowd shortly before Wallen took the stage.
“Eminem’s ‘Without Me’: The crowd roared knowingly,” the Times wrote. “Putting Wallen’s sentiments in Eminem’s mouth saved him from having to say anything himself.”
Needless to say, the publication wasn’t exactly a fan of the show.
Morgan Wallen Stars in Drake Music Video
On Dec. 20, 2023, Morgan Wallen appeared in the music video for Drake’s Scary Hours 3 single “You Broke My Heart.” Starring alongside Drizzy himself, the country singer even had a few lines to deliver in the Theo Skudra-directed visual.
“I didn’t like her,” Wallen says while eating dinner with the 6 God. “I think she might have been the wrong girl anyway.”
Drake adds: “Well, what now? I’m kinda glad she gone… Let’s see what else is out there. That’s what we need to do.”
However, the ex-lovers both stars were referring to and other plans.
