I was checking my e-mail the other day, and found I had been sent a link to a Web site featuring Johnny Cash music. Since I am a fan, I figured I would check it out. Needless to say, I was appalled when I found that these songs were all remixed versions of Johnny Cash classics, with my personal favorite being a Snoop Dogg remix of “I Walk the Line.”

Although I was unhappy at first, I decided this just helps prove my point that the two genres of music and the two communities are very much alike — and have actually blended together recently, sharing the same ideology.

Don’t believe me? Read and learn as I dive into the music and the beliefs of these two juggernauts of music.

My first comparison is between the popular belief that by listening to a certain type of music, having a particular type of upbringing, wearing a certain type of clothing, having a certain color of skin or driving a certain kind of vehicle, you have the freedom to call yourself what you want. Typically, you will run into people who listen to rap or are rappers, and believe they can call themselves gangsters.

The same goes for country fans. They believe they can call themselves “rednecks.”

Unfortunately for a good majority, they can all be classified as wannabes.

50 Cent called wannabe gangsters “wankstas.” I am going to use that same idea and call wannabe rednecks “wednecks.”

Especially in the Midwestern area, you will run into these two groups of people quite often.

Why do I use this in my reasoning? I want to show you the typical core fans of the genres are very similar, and share the same belief that they can call themselves something they are not for very similar reasons.

Now it is time to compare the music in general. For this, I am going to use some popular titles most of you will know so you can understand where I am coming from.

The first song is Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.”

If you listen to the lyrics of this song, you will understand Chesney is making some sort of a sexual reference. Although he is not saying directly what he is talking about, and while some may make the argument that a girl really thinks that gigantic piece of farming equipment is rather sexy, I highly doubt that is what Chesney was trying to say.

In comparison, rappers tend to use various objects as metaphors for sexual pleasure.

My example is Kelis’ “Milkshake.”

Obviously, a milkshake cannot bring a boy to the yard as she says, because to any normal person, a milkshake is just a milkshake. She is obviously making a sexual reference using an item of food as a metaphor. In comparison, this is no different than Chesney talking about a tractor turning someone on. Both are ridiculous statements, but when you listen to it and interpret it the way the artist meant for it to be interpreted, you will find its true meaning.

Thus, the musical metaphor involving objects is a shared idea for both country and rap.

Another couple songs worth mentioning are the Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.” Both songs are about someone skipping the step of rational thought and acting purely on instinct. In the Dixie Chicks’ case, the women in the song kill someone who was a perpetrator of domestic abuse. And although I do not condone domestic abuse, I do not condone murder either.

Carrie Underwood sings about taking a Louisville Slugger to both of her boyfriend’s headlights and carving her name into his seats. Great idea, Carrie —­ you just gave your identity, and your boyfriend will see you in court.

In comparison to the previous songs, I would like to use Eminem’s “Kim” and “‘97 Bonnie & Clyde” as examples. In the songs, he depicts killing his wife, Kim, throwing her into a trunk, and getting rid of the body. Obviously, instead of working out the problems between him and his wife, Eminem decided to skip rational thought and just act on instinct.

Once again I ask, sound familiar?

Although some of the songs are more upbeat and sound happier, the depiction of violence is still there, and once again proves the two genres are very comparable.

I am not attacking either genre, and I’m not mocking you for being a fan. I am just trying to give a few examples of how these two genres of music are similar.

It is popular belief that country and rap are exact opposites of each other. I just ask that the next time you hear someone make the comparison, maybe try to open up their mind by asking, “Are you sure about that?”

— Jordan Wickstrom is a junior in journalism and mass communication.