On August 8, the YouTube channel radiowv uploaded a live version of relatively unknown singer Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North Of Richmond.” A native of Virginia, evident in the song’s reference to the state’s capital city, Anthony went viral overnight, as the song polarized audiences for its depiction of the plight of working-class Americans.
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“Oliver was about 30 days sober when someone reached out & asked him to come to record a song for his YouTube channel,” Twitter user Jason Howerton said after a recent interview he did with Anthony. “That song was ‘Rich Men North of Richmond.’ Within days, the song was going VIRAL on social media.”
It’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is
Now, though, after it seemed like music fans, political pundits, and the general population had all already decided their thoughts on the song, Anthony is still getting attention from fellow musicians. In fact, one of the most random shoutouts he could have gotten came from famed Atlanta trap-rap pioneer Gucci Mane, who reposted “Rich Men North Of Richmond” on his Instagram page Wednesday (August 16).
[RELATED: Oliver Anthony Bumps Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” on Country Chart]
Explaining how he’d like Anthony to be his first country music signee to his record label 1017 Records, Gucci asked if anyone could get him in touch with the Virginian.
“Aye fam I need y’all help on this one I’m trying sign these guys as my first country artists to 1017!!!” he wrote. “I need the info asap.”
As it currently stands, it doesn’t seem that Anthony is signed a label at the moment. However, as Gucci noted before, 1017 has never crossed over into country music. In the label’s history, they’ve housed incredibly prominent hip-hop acts such as Waka Flocka Flame, Young Thug, Migos, Chief Keef, and more. Right now, though, their current roster consists of four artists including Gucci. The other three rappers signed to 1017 are currently incarcerated, yet viral sensation Pooh Shiesty, as well as lesser-known acts like Foogiano and BigDogWalk.
(Photo Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
