Jordan Peele has assembled an impressive roster of Hip-Hop heavyweights to help tell the untold story of America’s first cowboys in his new Peacock documentary series “High Horse: The Black Cowboy.”
Texas-bred hip-hop duo UGK glared confidently into the camera atop stallions in the music video for their fan-favorite song “Wood Wheel.” The visuals reflected the expertise of the legendary Houston-area music act: blending tales of big city hustling with charming Texas cowboy culture. Bun, an ambassador for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the first and only Black male hip-hop headliner in its history, shares his experiences in “High Horse: The Black Cowboy,” a new docuseries executive produced by Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions. The project highlights Black men, who it says were the first Americans referred to as cowboys, a term initially steeped in racism as it contrasted them with white “cowhands.” The series attempts to refute the pop culture images of the men whose tall boots and Stetson hats are seared into American mythology.
The documentary arrives at a crucial moment, as Hip-Hop artists increasingly embrace Western aesthetics and themes. From Lil Nas X’s record-breaking “Old Town Road” and Shaboozey’s success, to Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album, rap culture has been reclaiming its rightful place in cowboy heritage.