Country music is having a moment. Beyoncé, Jelly Roll, and Post Malone—artists who all initially found success in the hip-hop realm — have dipped their toes into Nashville’s waters during recent years. Now, rapper Flo Rida has added his name to that list after sampling a George Strait classic in his new song.”
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Flo Rida, Alan Cooper Pay Homage to George Strait
Arriving on scene in the early 2000s, Flo Rida gained international fame with a stream of catchy hits like “Right Round,” “Club Can’t Handle Me,” and “Whistle.” While the Grammy nominee hasn’t released a full-length album in 13 years, he recently shared a brand-new collaboration with social media influencer-turned-rising country star Cooper Alan and pop-country artist Shaylen.
In the song “Carrying the Club,” Flo Rida samples the chorus to George Strait’s 1997 hit “Carrying Your Love With Me.” I’m carrying the club with me / From Miami up to Tennessee / Turn the dive into a V.I.P. / I’m carrying the club with me / Down on Broadway where they do-si-do. Meanwhile, Alan sprinkles in a few lines about “country girls dropping it low” for good measure.
Teasing the song on TikTok, Alan wrote, “Grew up listening to Flo all the time time and still do. The bangers have never stopped through the years. Freaking honored to get to do a song with him! Y’all dig this one??”
New Song Draws Mixed Reactions on Social Media
Turns out, the answers to that question vary widely. “Flo Rida and Cooper Alan making a song was not on my bingo card for 2025 but I’m all for it,” one TikTok user commented.
Another added, “this feels like a millennial senior class song where we ain’t never leaving the club behind no matter how old we are.”
Others had less favorable impressions. “Elder abuse on George Strait tbh,” one TikTok user remarked.
“Went from Flo Rida to Tenn Essee,” another wrote.
Surprisingly, “Carrying the Club” is hardly the Florida rapper’s first foray into country music. Flo Rida released the Walker Hayes collab “High Heels” in 2022, followed by “No Bad Days” with Jimmie Allen.
Featured image by Zoe Davis/Getty Images
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