BigXthaPlug took center stage Tuesday (June 5) in Nashville as he accepted Billboard’s 2025 Country Innovator of the Year award at the Country Power Players event.
Hosted at Luke Combs’ Category 10 venue, the event marked a major moment in his genre-bending rise from Dallas Hip-Hop to country crossover.
Presented by Grammy-nominated country artist and frequent collaborator Shaboozey, the award recognized BigXthaPlug’s growing influence in country music, just as he teased his upcoming project, I Hope You’re Happy, a country-inspired release due later this year.
The announcement came in front of a packed room of industry leaders and tastemakers.
The celebration didn’t stop there. BigX capped the night with a packed afterparty at Losers Bar & Grill, dubbed the “Losers Back Porch Kick Back,” where Sam Hunt, Ella Langley, Chris Comstock, and others joined in to toast the milestone.
The event also served as an unofficial kickoff to CMA Fest weekend.
The award follows a string of high-profile performances by BigX, including Coachella, Stagecoach, and Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he has continued to blend the grit of Southern Hip-Hop with the storytelling of country music.
He’s also been spotlighted on the covers of GQ Hype and Billboard’s Genre Now issue.
Beyond music, BigX has used his platform to support the Autism Society of America, honoring his son during Autism Acceptance Month.