Headliner at Country Music Festival Misses Set After Being Arrested

Fans didn’t get to see BigXthaPlug at Country Rising Festival for a shocking reason. The rapper was scheduled to headline the Canadian music festival, but missed his set after being arrested in Texas.

On Friday, Aug. 21, BigXthaPlug, whose real name is Xavier Landum, was arrested. He was booked in the Collin County Jail on multiple charges, the local Fox affiliate reported.

Per the outlet, Landum was charged with driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession of less than two ounces, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

The arrest came the same day Landum was slated to perform at Country Rising.

“Due to a personal emergency, BigXthaPlug will unfortunately no longer be able to perform at Country Rising Winnipeg tonight,” the festival wrote on Instagram.

Instead of the rapper, attendees heard sets from Dylan Marlowe, Corey Kent, and more.

Despite his arrest, Landum was able to make it to his next scheduled gig. On Aug. 22, the rapper performed at the Iowa State Fair as planned.

What to Know About BigXthaPlug

Landum’s latest arrest came one year after he faced similar charges. At the time, he was promoting his country-rap album, I Hope You’re Happy, which he released on Aug. 22, 2025.

The LP featured collaborations with some of country music’s biggest names including Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, and Ella Langley.

In an interview with The New York Times, Landum revealed that his single “Texas” was to thank for his country music turn.

“That’s what opened the doors. After that, I started getting Luke Combs telling me I’m his favorite rap artist. And then you got Morgan Wallen pulling up to my shows just to tell me, ‘Hey, you’re doing a great job, I appreciate what you do,’” he said. “… And so I go do a Billboard interview and I straight up say, ‘I got a country project on the way’… Maybe a few days later, you get Jelly Roll in an interview saying, ‘Don’t put out the country album without me!’”

The leap to hip-hop to country may seem like a big one, but Landum didn’t view it that way.

“I feel like I’m not just a hip-hop artist—I want to be the best artist in the world. The only way I can do that is if I can show that I can do something other than rap,” he said. “Hip-hop and country music both have the same base, which is storytelling.”

Photo by Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images