Jimmie Allen Turns Jay-Z’s 99 Problems Into Breezy Country-Hip-Hop Track Beer 99
Jimmie Allen honored Jay-Z with two fresh, genre-spanning songs that merge heartfelt country storytelling and pulsating hip-hop beats, giving fans an early preview of his fall U.S. tour. The Grammy-nominated singer issued a pair of tracks titled “Small Town Anthem” and “Beer 99,” reflecting the blend of styles he grew up hearing.
Allen has called these recordings a personal reflection of the sounds he heard growing up in Delaware and California.
“Beer 99” twists a line from Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” into a laid-back bar tune: “I’ve got 99 problems, but a beer ain’t one.” Allen uses the chorus to riff on everyday pressures in a playful way, layering a steady beat over light guitar strokes. "My music has been influenced by Hip Hop since the start of my career with my debut single Best Shot," he told AllHipHop.
He credits family for laying the groundwork of his musical tastes. "My dad is Delaware and my mother and from Oakland CA. I grew up with a love of country because of my father, a love of Gospel because of my mother and a love of hip hop because of my cousins from the Bay Area. They put me on to so much hip hop and Bay Area Hip-Hop including, E-40, Mac Dre, Too Short," Jimmie Allen said.
“Small Town Anthem” anchors him in his roots and paints vivid scenes of dawn chores, open highways, tailgate parties and church pews. That track arrives alongside his May single “Country Boys Never Learn,” recorded with Noah Curtis and Young Grey, which has tallied more than 400,000 streams.
He will hit the road on September 5 in Dallas for his “Stories Behind the Songs” tour, offering listeners a look at how each composition took shape. Since his 2018 debut with “Best Shot,” Allen has claimed a spot in country music by blending elements of pop, R&B and hip-hop. His debut single made history as the first by a Black artist to reach No. 1 on country radio.
He followed that breakthrough with a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2022 and wins at both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards in 2021. Upcoming festival appearances include Stagecoach, CMA Fest and the iHeartCountry Festival, adding to his growing list of live performances.
