Debut album coming soon. Since breaking out last summer upon the release of his debut single, “After Me?,” Kashus Culpepper has been one of the hottest young stars in the alt. country scene. Mixing in a beautiful blend of country, blues and soul, the Navy veteran has already flexed his versatility, collaborating with the likes of Marcus King on the rockin’ “Southern Man,” Chase Rice on his track from ELDORA, “Tall Grass,” and 4x Grammy-winner, Sierra Ferrell on the tender, Willie Nelson-inspired “Broken Wing Bird” back in June. Couple those high-profile collaborations with the likes of more stellar, solo releases such as “Who Hurt You” and his cover of Tom Jones’ “Sexbomb” for the soundtrack of the Netflix film, The Wrong Paris, and Culpepper has produced one of the most interesting discographies in the genre to begin his career. After getting nods to open for the likes of Whiskey Myers, 49 Winchester and Charles Wesley Godwin during the summer, as well as Darius Rucker throughout his current Canadian tour, the Alabama native has caught the eye of both alternative and mainstream stars in the adolescence of his career thus far. Recently signing to Big Loud Records and joining the likes of the aforementioned Godwin, Morgan Wallen, Gavin Adcock, Dylan Gossett, ERNEST and more, it feels as if the “Jenni” singer is on the verge of breaking out in a big way. And it looks like that day may be coming incredibly soon. On Wednesday, Culpepper took to Instagram to announce that his next single, “Mean To Me,” was dropping this Friday, October 24. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kashus Culpepper (@kashculpeppermusic) Written by Culpepper, along with Diego Urias, Oscar Charles and Matt Warren, the track puts a fun spin on the titular phrase, “Mean To Me.” Painting a picture of a slightly volatile relationship, filled with arguments, drunk fights and the like in the first verse, he sets the listener up to think that the chorus will center around asking his lover why she’s so mean. “I didn’t mean to call you crazy But you busted my nose And the bar got us banned And as we’re walking out of that door Threw your middle finger at me Never knew you’d be so damn mean But when you get drunk, you like to say things you don’t really mean” He turns the entire song on its head in the chorus, however. Instead of condemning her, Culpepper takes the lows that come with the highs of the relationship and ultimately flips the “Mean to Me” phrase, proclaiming her actions don’t change how much she means to him. “What about them memories? What about Bourbon Street? Where you said there’d be nights like these We at the bottom of a bottle And them whiskey words, they sting But they still don’t change what you mean to me” Overall, “Mean To Me” is another successful outing from Culpepper, showcasing his stellar, soulful vocals throughout the rising track and once again proving why he’s an artist to watch in the coming years. With that being said, however, he wasn’t done. In addition to the brand new track, Culpepper has announced that his debut album, Act I, is arriving on January 23rd. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kashus Culpepper (@kashculpeppermusic) Act I  will feature 18 songs overall, including pre-released tracks such as the aforementioned collaborations with Ferrell and King, “Broken Wing Bird” and “Southern Man” as well as “After Me?” and his recent release, “Believe.” Fan favorites, “Jenni” and “Who Hurt You,” however, have been left off the tracklist. Discussing the album in his Instagram caption, Culpepper noted that Act I has a little bit of everything in it, focusing on the wide range of emotions captured throughout. He’d also hope that listeners find a piece of themselves in the record. “This record has so many emotions in it. Love. Heartbreak. Joy. Anger. Hope. Everything that makes us human. It’s been a journey creating these songs. At times it even feels like a movie, looking back on the moments that shaped it.  Lord knows I’m grateful for every moment. I hope you can find a piece of yourself in these songs, and in this album.” Overall, Culpepper has proven time and again that he’s primed for a successful, long-lasting career in the alt. country scene. Given the fact that he has yet to release a bad song to date, all signs point to Act I being an all-time debut album. I can confidently say that you will not want to miss this one when it releases on January 23rd. Act I Tracklist “Intro” “Southern Man” feat. Marcus King “Alabama Beauty Queen” “Woman” “Break Like Me” “Believe” “Stay” “Mean To Me” “Broken Wing Bird” w/ Sierra Fierra “Better Weather” “That’s The Feeling” “Man Of His Word” “In Her Eyes” “Is It True” “After Me?” “Out Of My Mind” “House On A Hill” “Cherry Rose” “Mean To Me” The post Kashus Culpepper Announces Debut Album “Act I,” Releases New Single, “Mean To Me” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.