Sean Merrett (born November 1, 1978), better known by his stage name Big Kuntry King, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is perhaps best known as a member of Southern hip hop group Pimp $quad Click, along with longtime friend and fellow Atlanta-based rapper T.I.[2] After signing to T.I.'s Grand Hustle imprint, Big Kuntry King secured a recording contract with Atlantic Records. His debut studio album, My Turn to Eat, was released September 30, 2008.
Big Kuntry King | |
|---|---|
 Big Kuntry King in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sean Merrett |
| Born | November 1, 1978 Charleston, South Carolina, US[1] |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, US |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | www |
Big Kuntry King is also the founder of his own record label imprint, Bread Box Muzic.
Life and career
edit1978–2007: Early life and career beginnings
editBorn in Charleston, South Carolina, Big Kuntry King was raised in a house that held his mother, sister, and close to ten members of his extended family. When he reached the fifth grade, Kuntry moved to Atlanta with his mother, who sought a better life for her kids. While his mom worked two jobs and pursued a community college degree, Kuntry gravitated to street life, where his family had a notorious history. "I was born in the game," says Kuntry. "My Grand Momma was in it before she died. My Auntie was in it; everybody was in it."[1]
A couple of years after his father was released from a seven-year stint in federal prison, Kuntry started rapping as a way to earn extra money. In 1996, Kuntry befriended local up-and-coming rapper T.I., who was already known around Atlanta as a skilled lyricist, and together they sold mixtapes out the trunk of their car.[3] "The raps, that was our dope," Kuntry says. "We was rapping because we knew we could make us enough money to buy something and get out. And it made us look good in our neighborhood and every other neighborhood in the A."[1]
Big Kuntry King's first major feature spot came on T.I.'s debut studio album, I'm Serious (2001), on the song "Heavy Chevys." In between appearing on subsequent T.I. albums like Trap Muzik (2003) and Urban Legend (2004), Big Kuntry recorded and released several songs on his own, including "Still Country" and "Throwback." As a member of P$C, the Grand Hustle-signed five-man group released their debut album, 25 to Life, in 2005, which spawned the lead single, "I'm a King" featuring Lil' Scrappy. With the release of the P$C album, Big Kuntry was suddenly introduced to a nationwide audience but unfortunately for him, it wasn't his star that T.I. and Grand Hustle focused on making the brightest: "They had just signed Young Dro, and Tip made this song 'Shoulder Lean' for him, he threw some verses on it and it was a smash song. We was like damn, we've been here since day one killing it and you're going to come out with Young Dro? That's when I said man, I have to step this up."[1]
In 2006, he was featured on the remix to T.I.'s "Top Back", also featuring Young Jeezy, Young Dro and B.G. The remix was included on the Grand Hustle compilation album Grand Hustle Presents: In da Streetz Volume 4 (2006).
2008–present: My Turn to Eat
editWhile T.I. and the rest of the camp were overseas playing shows in Japan, Kuntry was in the studio by himself recording solo material. It didn't take long for Kuntry to craft the catchy tracks, "Yeah I'm On It" and "That's Right," which both featured Kuntry's drawn out signature adlib, You know who this is man, Big Kuntry King!. "I took all of my money and pressed up the 'Yeah I'm On It' record," he says. "And by the time they came back from Japan, I had two records on the radio and playing in the clubs." Determined to succeed, Kuntry was signed as a solo artist to Atlantic Records, where he released his solo debut studio album, My Turn to Eat: "I always thought it was my turn to eat cause I'm hungry. All these people are eating more around me, so either I have to take some food off their plate."[1]
After recording for close to a year, Kuntry's debut was a solid collection of songs produced by some of Atlanta's trend-setting track masters, including Shawty Redd and Marvelous J. On the song "Pots and Pans," Kuntry breaks down the difference between the music he was raised on Down South as opposed to what people up North were accustomed to hearing. On the Nard & B produced cut "Soul of a Man," Kuntry talks about the heavy expectations that are placed on men everyday, and the common struggle to always do the right thing. Kuntry's track "Posse" is all about repping where he's from and the company that he keeps: "If you listen to my album you're going to be rockin' the whole time," he says. "I hand-picked all of my beats and I'm very picky. A lot of people tell me I got an ear and I appreciate it 'cause this ear is going to get me paid." Cha-ching!". "I think my music is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," he says. "It's like, he's funny, he's cracking jokes but he's serious ain't he? It's a psychological thing; I don't think a lot of rappers are like that." The album, released September 30, 2008, debuted at #98 on the Billboard 200.[1]
On February 27, 2012, Big Kuntry King released a mixtape titled 100% (KANE), including production from Zaytoven, Nard & B and Two Band Geeks and features a guest appearance from T.I.[4] On December 12, 2012 Big Kuntry King released another mixtape, Dope & Champagne.[5]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions[6] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US Rap | |||||||||||
| My Turn to Eat |
|
98 | 13 | 7 | |||||||||
| TBA |
|
TBR | TBR | TBR | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Compilation albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B |
US Rap | ||||||||||||
| Grand Hustle Presents: In da Streetz Volume 4 (with Grand Hustle) |
|
— | — | ||||||||||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Mixtapes
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Cocaine |
|
| The Corporate Hustle (with Slick Pulla) |
|
| Cocaine Kuntry: The Underboss (with DJ Scream) |
|
| Everything Big |
|
| 100% Kane |
|
| Still Kuntry |
|
| Dope & Champagne |
|
| G.D.O.D. (Get Dough Or Die) (with Grand Hustle) |
|
| Blu Cheeze |
|
| G.D.O.D. II (with Hustle Gang) |
|
| Lil Dope Boy Kane |
|
| Perignon Don |
|
Singles
editAs lead artist
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
US Rap | ||||
| "That's Right" (featuring T.I.) |
2008 | — | 105 | — | My Turn to Eat | |
| "Da Baddest" (featuring Trey Songz) |
— | 101 | — | |||
| "Kickin' Flav"[16] (featuring T.I.) |
2013 | — | — | — | Dope & Champagne | |
| "Trap Mode"[17] (featuring Young Dolph) |
2015 | — | — | — | Lil Dope Boy Kane | |
| "Bobby Womack"[18] (featuring T.I. and Young Thug) |
2016 | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | ||||||
As featured artist
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
US Rap | ||||
| "Imma Fool Wit It"[19] (Killer Mike featuring Big Kuntry King |
2009 | — | — | — | Underground Atlanta | |
| "'Bout Dat Life"[20] (Daddy O featuring Big Kuntry King) |
2014 | — | — | — | 100% Cartel Money[21] | |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | ||||||
Guest appearances
edit| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Throwback" | 2004 | Freddie Gibbs, T.I. | Full Metal Jackit: The Mixtape Volume II |
| "Limelight" | T.I. | Urban Legend | |
| "Dip, Slide, Rideout"[22] | 2006 | DJ Khaled, T.I., Young Dro | Listennn... the Album |
| "Aye" | 2007 | DJ Drama, Young Dro | Gangsta Grillz: The Album |
| "Big Shit Poppin' (Grand Hustle Remix)"[23] | T.I., Mac Boney, Alfamega, JR Get Money | — | |
| "Haters"|rowspan="2"|2008 | B.o.B, Rick Ross, Juvenile | Hi! My Name Is B.o.B. | |
| "5000 Ones"|Young Dro, T.I. | I Am Legend | ||
| "One"|rowspan="2"|2009 | B.o.B, Mac Boney | B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray | |
| "Got To Know"|Young Dro | Lo Life | ||
| "Regardless"|2013 | Shad da God | Gas Life | |
| "Love to Hate Me"[24] | 2014 | Doe B, T.I., Mitchelle'l | DOAT 3 (Definition of a Trapper) |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Big Kuntry King Bio". Grand Hustle. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
- ^ Big Kuntry - P$CBillboard. Accessed September 30, 2008
- ^ "8 Awesome Facts You Probably Didn't Know About T.I." Archived from the original on 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
- ^ "Big Kuntry King 100%". DatPiff. 2012-02-27. Archived from the original on 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- ^ "Big Kuntry King Dope & Champagne". DatPiff. 2012-12-12. Archived from the original on 2012-12-15. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
- ^ "Big Kuntry King". Billboard.
- ^ "Cocaine Mixtape by Big Kuntry King Hosted by DJ Burn One, DJ Funky". Datpiff.com. Archived from the original on 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "LiveMixtapes.com".
- ^ "Cocaine Kuntry: the Underboss by Big Kuntry King & DJ Scream". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Big Kuntry King - Everything Big (Hosted By DJ MLK & DJ Scream)". HotNewHipHop.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "LiveMixtapes.com".
- ^ "LiveMixtapes.com". Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Big Kuntry King - Dope & Champagne". HotNewHipHop.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Blu Cheeze by Big Kuntry King on iTunes". itunes.apple.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Perignon Don by Big Kuntry King". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Kickin' flav (feat. T.I.) - Single by Big Kuntry King on iTunes". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Trap Mode (feat. Young Dolph) - Single by Big Kuntry King". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "Big Kuntry King Ft. T.I. & Young Thug – Bobby Womack | StereoDay". stereoday.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "I'mma Fool Wit It - Single by Killer Mike & Big Kuntry King". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "'Bout Dat Life (Feat. Big Kuntry King) - Single by Daddy O on iTunes". itunes.apple.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "LiveMixtapes.com".
- ^ "Listennn... the Album > Overview". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-05-12.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "DOAT 3 (Definition of a Trapper) [Deluxe Version] by Doe B". iTunes Store. Apple. April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-05.