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It’s not every day that the worlds of West Coast hip-hop and Southern country music collide—but when they do, the result can be unexpectedly magical. That’s precisely what happened when legendary rapper Snoop Dogg joined rising Nashville country artist ERNEST for a laidback, genre-blending track called “Gettin’ Gone,” featured on ERNEST’s upcoming Cadillac Sessions mixtape.
For those unfamiliar, ERNEST is one of Nashville’s fastest-rising songwriters and artists. With writing credits for Morgan Wallen and a handful of Billboard chart-topping singles under his belt, he’s proven himself a vital voice in modern country. On the other side, Snoop Dogg—hip-hop icon, entrepreneur, and cultural chameleon—has never shied away from dipping his toes into new sounds. From reggae (as Snoop Lion) to gospel and even collaborations with Martha Stewart, Snoop’s appetite for creative risk has made him a global icon.
Their new collaboration might seem unlikely at first, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that Snoop’s admiration for country music has roots stretching back years. He once called Johnny Cash his “main man” and “a real American gangster.” That mutual respect for authenticity, storytelling, and rebellion makes this collaboration feel more like fate than a marketing gimmick.
The seeds for “Gettin’ Gone” were planted not in a boardroom, but in the backstage green room of a Jelly Roll concert. ERNEST, ever the opportunist and fan of hip-hop culture, managed to strike up a conversation with Snoop Dogg during the event. Armed with a freshly written demo of “Gettin’ Gone,” ERNEST saw an opening and took it.
“I basically weaseled my way into Snoop’s green room,” ERNEST recalled with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Yo, can I play you a song I wrote last weekend?’ and he was just super chill—‘Sure.’ I hit play, and he was vibing. Right then and there, we exchanged numbers.”
The song, initially conceived during a writers’ retreat on ERNEST’s tour bus with country songwriting heavyweights Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Mark Holman, was meant to be a reflective, easy-going anthem about slipping away—physically or mentally—when the world feels too heavy. That sense of escapism is something both country and rap have historically tackled in their own ways.
A couple of weeks after their backstage encounter, Snoop texted ERNEST. He wasn’t just a fan—he wanted in. “He sent me this flood of emojis—blue hearts, fire, paw prints,” ERNEST said. “It was his way of saying, ‘Yeah, I’m down.’” Shortly after, Snoop recorded and delivered his verse in less than 48 hours. The energy was organic, raw, and immediate—something increasingly rare in an industry obsessed with overproduction.
The video for “Gettin’ Gone” captures that same laid-back vibe. Filmed around iconic Nashville landmarks, it feels more like a spontaneous hangout than a scripted production. ERNEST and Snoop cruise through the city in a Cadillac, stopping at local haunts and trading verses with effortless camaraderie.
“The chemistry was real,” said ERNEST. “It wasn’t just like, ‘Hey, here’s your verse, and we’ll film you in a studio later.’ He was all in. He wanted to film the video. He wanted to vibe in the city.”
One particularly surreal moment for ERNEST came during filming when, cruising back to Castle Recording Studios, he queued up Snoop’s legendary “Gin and Juice.” The reaction? Snoop rapped along to his classic hit, word for word, while the bass thumped in the Cadillac’s trunk. For ERNEST, it was a full-circle moment. “That was a childhood memory unfolding in real-time,” he said.
While some might be surprised by Snoop’s involvement in a country song, this isn’t his first rodeo in the genre. In recent years, he and longtime collaborator Dr. Dre have shown increased interest in Nashville’s evolving music scene. Just last year, Snoop and Dre featured country sensation Jelly Roll on a track from their joint Missionary album. Earlier this year, they enlisted HARDY—a country-rock powerhouse—for a fresh take on the 1994 classic “Gin and Juice,” complete with a short film.
These aren’t isolated experiments. They’re part of a growing trend: the boundaries between musical genres are collapsing. The walls between Nashville’s country crooners and hip-hop’s lyrical titans are lower than ever. At the heart of both genres is storytelling. Whether it’s Snoop painting pictures of Long Beach life or ERNEST chronicling Southern heartbreaks and Saturday nights, both artists rely on narrative as their vehicle for connection.
This collaboration isn’t just fun—it’s culturally significant. It’s part of a larger conversation about authenticity, collaboration, and mutual admiration among artists who come from vastly different walks of life, yet share a common language through music.
“Gettin’ Gone” is just the beginning. ERNEST’s upcoming Cadillac Sessions mixtape isn’t just a solo endeavor. It’s a launchpad for other emerging voices under his DeVille Records label, which he formed in partnership with Big Loud Records.
“This project is all about spotlighting a new wave of talent coming out of the South,” ERNEST explained. “I’m collaborating with guys like Cody Lohden, Chandler Walters, and Rhys Rutherford. These aren’t just features—they wrote their own songs. They’re authentic, they’re storytellers, and they represent the next generation of Nashville.”
Each artist on the mixtape hails from a different part of the South—Rhys from Nashville, Chandler from Georgia, and Cody from Kentucky. The diversity in their backgrounds lends the project a wide palette of styles and themes, while still grounding it in Southern identity and ethos. The goal isn’t just to create music, but to build a community and legacy.
While the song “Gettin’ Gone” might evoke images of highway exits and open roads, ERNEST says sometimes you don’t have to go far to feel gone. Asked about his favorite places to unwind in Nashville, his answer was refreshingly grounded.
“Either Troubadour Golf Course out in College Grove or Losers in Midtown,” he said. “But honestly, sometimes I be gettin’ gone while I work at the office.”
That sentiment captures the whole essence of “Gettin’ Gone.” It’s not just about disappearing geographically—it’s about mental reprieve, a break from expectations, and the chance to vibe on your own terms. Whether it’s a dive bar or a driving range, the location matters less than the energy.
What This Means for the Industry
Snoop Dogg joining a country record doesn’t just make headlines—it signals a broader shift in music culture. Audiences are more open than ever to genre-bending sounds. Country artists are covering hip-hop tracks. Rappers are sampling folk music. We’re entering an era where playlists matter more than categories, and fans reward authenticity over adherence to labels.
More importantly, collaborations like this challenge stereotypes and bridge generational and cultural gaps. ERNEST and Snoop Dogg represent two different American stories—but they meet at the intersection of expression, rhythm, and soul.
Final Thoughts
“Gettin’ Gone” isn’t just a one-off novelty. It’s a reminder of what can happen when artists ignore industry walls and just create. It shows us that music—when made with genuine respect and passion—transcends genre and geography.
ERNEST’s story of sneaking into a green room with a demo and walking out with a Snoop Dogg collaboration is the kind of bold, spontaneous move that the best music stories are made of. And Snoop’s willingness to embrace it, to rap on a country record, shoot a video in Nashville, and do it all with blue hearts and paw prints, is a testament to his evolution as a cultural unifier.
If Cadillac Sessions delivers on the promise of “Gettin’ Gone,” then ERNEST may not just be launching a mixtape—he might be sparking a whole new movement in country music.
