Cowboy Troy

After appearing on Big & Rich's hit Horse of a Different Color, African-American country rapper Cowboy Troy (real name: Troy Coleman), 34, is breaking down more genre barriers with his debut Loco Motive.

ON BECOMING A COUNTRY RAPER I started 15 years ago when I was a student at the University of Texas. I performed from time to time in clubs down there. People thought I was either really brave or really crazy. But nobody threw beer bottles at me, so I figured I was doing okay.

ON IF HIS MUSIC IS COUNTRY OR RAP It's country music, no doubt about it. Just because I don't deliver my vocals like other country artists doesn't make it any less country.

ON THE EMCEES HE'D LIKE TO SHARE THE MIKE WITH Sir Mix-A-Lot would be cool. Nelly, Ludacris, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Eminem.

ON DEEYING STEREOTYPES Everyone presumes that rappers have to wear the baggy jeans and the baseball cap and a throwback jersey. Here I come wearing a cowboy hat and a big belt buckle. My belt buckle is my bling-bling. It's just going to keep getting bigger.