Dulaa

THE STORY OF DULLA

CREATING "THE KING OF KRUNKTRY"

Born on March 17, 1973, in Memphis, Tennessee, Anthony L. Holmes Sr., known professionally as DULAA, is a genre-defying artist whose music bridges the raw energy of hip-hop with the soul of country and blues. The creator of the “Krunktry” sound — a bold fusion of crunk, country, and storytelling — DULAA transforms personal trials into powerful anthems that resonate across generations and cultures. Having been told by record labels, radio stations and PR that his sound blending ability was new and different making it difficult to categorize, resulting in DULAA creating his OWN genre, crowning him the true “King of Krunktry” music.

Music has been a huge part of Dulaa’s whole life and his music today has been shaped by some of the places he lived as he was growing up. Raised in South Memphis and Durant, Mississippi, his love of music started early. His dad was a truck driver and according to Dulaa, “All my Daddy would play was country music and blues while riding the road, so it embedded itself in me. I would buy rap tapes from the truckstops. I loved Sade, Johnny Cash, Run DMC and Conway Twitty”.

That early exposure to grit, rhythm, and resilience laid the foundation for a style that’s as heartfelt as it is rebellious. His self-produced 2014 release "To Have A Heart" and the follow-up album “Brang It Home" showcase his signature blend of uplifting lyrics and Southern swagger, with standout tracks like “Tennessee Queen” and the forthcoming 2025 release “Jack & Coke”.

As Dulaa grew older, his next stop was New Orleans. “I moved to New Orleans to pursue music career and lived with my friend Derek Dabbs who was a jazz musician and his wife at the time, Debbie. During this time I was running back and forth to Houston producing music for movies and a few animated series.

DULAA’s artistry extends beyond music. He produced, directed, and was featured in the award-winning video for “3UP 1DOWN,” which earned Indie Video of the Year in 2017, and co-wrote the EP “Big Country” with Memphis singer-songwriter Nancy Apple. His production and collaborations with Nitty Gritty on tracks like “Break Out The Big Guns” and “It's Nitty Gritty GR”, have become theme songs for major Southern horse shows, earning national airplay and acclaim.

When asked how he got the term “Krunktry Music”, Dulaa said, “I did a project with Country singer Nancy Apple. I begged her for a whole year to work with me and finally she gave me a shot and it worked! We did shows together and one day we were in studio she was like, ‘What is your style of music? What the hell you call it? ....it’s like rap/country/blues’. I said, ‘That’s been an issue. No one knows where to place me ...so the labels didn’t give me any opportunities. I wasn’t in a pocket, couldn’t box me up, so no labels want to take a chance on it. Now it’s becoming a “thing” when I was doing it first, 15 years ago’. She said it’s “Crunk” and “Country”. Just throwing out, I said “Krunktry!”and then she said, “That’s it! It fits you Dulaa!’”

This year marks a new era as Anthony "DULAA" Holmes, Sr. stars in "Something Like A Outlaw" the music video film, written and directed by Rick Trace, Nashville filmmaker and 20 year veteran noise maker. With the imagery by Trace and score and title track by Dulaa, it's destined to be a pioneer of its kind in music video films. Check it out below...

WATCH SOMETHING LIKE A OUTLAW FILM