CMA / YouTube
Audio By Carbonatix
BigXThaPlug is having a big month as he continues to break into the country music scene.
The rapper-turned-country star joined Luke Combs for their first television performance of “Pray Hard” at the 2025 CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Combs, who was nominated for Entertainer of the Year, delivers a soaring chorus on “Pray Hard,” a song that appears on BigXThaPlug’s I Hope You’re Happy.
Introduced by host Lainey Wilson, the pair hit the Bridgestone Arena stage with flames appearing on the back of the stage during Combs’ part. At times, they might’ve been pushing their limits on what they could get away with on live television because portions of BigX and Combs’ performance were bleeped out. Although it was unclear what offensive words they were censoring.
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I captured a video with the bleeps, in case you missed it last night.
When the CMA YouTube channel uploaded the performance later, the bleeps were removed. Maybe it was a mistake? Anyway, you can watch the Dallas artist make history, touching another stage reserved for country icons.
Grapevine native Post Malone was up for Album of the Year, which went to Wilson for Whirlwind. But before the awards began, Malone won his first CMA award for Musical Event of the Year for his collaboration with Blake Shelton on “Pour Me a Drink.”
BigXThaPlug Performs at The Ryman
Earlier this month, footage from BigXThaPlug’s Apple Music Live performance at the Ryman Auditorium in October was released. During an interview with Ebro Darden while BigX was rehearsing, he admitted he didn’t know the significance of The Ryman. His friend Shaboozey explained its beginnings as a church and revival hall to him.
“He just gave me the whole rundown and at the end I’m just like, ‘I’m doing something that you can tell the greats do,’” he said. “Like I said, I was chose to step on the stage that greats have been on and a place that’s not my home, but that’s accepting me.”
Here’s “The Largest” with live instruments at The Ryman, sounding incredible.
