Woodchuck the Black Redneck: The Country Rap Cryptid From Connecticut Who Can’t Be Boxed In
Most rappers will tell you they’ve got a unique sound. But when you hear Woodchuck the Black Redneck, it’s not just talk—it’s a collision of worlds you didn’t think could exist in one voice. At 35, the New England-born MC is living proof that country grit and hood edge can ride the same beat.
From 80s Rock to 90s Rap
Raised in Connecticut with a soundtrack that jumped from 80s rock and metal to DMX and 2Pac, Woodchuck grew up with one foot in the country and the other in the hood. As a kid, he’d freestyle with friends from both sides of the tracks, but by 17, he put the mic down—though he never stopped writing. In 2023, at age 33, he picked it back up with a mission.
Influences That Shaped a Hybrid
DMX tops his list—“His music gave me advice that saved my life multiple times,” Woodchuck says. Eminem’s wordplay still amazes him, while Ryan Upchurch inspired his comeback, showing him there’s space in rap for a black country boy from Connecticut.
A Sound That Won’t Sit Still
He calls it a mix of gangsta rap and country outlaw swagger, delivered in a cadence that’s all his own. Some say he’s a “country DMX,” but he’s quick to remind you—he’s just Woodchuck. His songs are soaked in lived experience and a worldview shaped by both dirt roads and concrete blocks.
Battling the Doubts
After years away from the game, finding his flow again was a challenge. Then came the critics who didn’t understand his style. But Woodchuck doesn’t chase approval—“I make music for me so people like me can relate… it needs to have meaning.”
Music With a Message
For Woodchuck, it’s about proving your past doesn’t define you—and reminding folks that “country” ain’t just the South. “Everything the South has, we have,” he says of New England life.
A Writing Process Flooded With Life Experience
Now older, he’s got more to say—and he says it with precision. Ideas come from constant beat-hunting and lyric scribbles, refined over days before recording. Then it’s hours of editing, endless replays, and dropping songs on socials to gauge the reaction.
Proud Moments & Future Moves
So far, his proudest moments have been collaborating with other hungry artists from all over. But the next chapter is already in motion: his upcoming album Black Crown (Damien’s Return), set to drop this fall, tells the story of his lifelong battle with his inner demons—learning to control them instead of letting them control him.
Why He’ll Never Blend In
Woodchuck can spit over a hood banger, a banjo-laced trap beat, or even a heavy metal riff. That range, plus his authenticity, has earned him the title he proudly claims: “the country rap cryptid.” You might think you’ve heard someone like him before—but you haven’t.
Follow Woodchuck the Black Redneck
Instagram: @woodchucktheblkrednckofficial
YouTube: @woodchuck_theblackredneck
Facebook: Johnhenry Woodchuck Smith
Spotify: Woodchuck
Apple Music: Woodchuck
