Lil Nas X

Award-winning rapper, vocalist, lyricist, and influential queer figure from Atlanta, Lil Nas X upends both cultural expectations and musical traditions through his inventive fusions inside hip-hop, moves that have disrupted conventional industry practices while lifting him to the summit of international charts. Global fame arrived for him in 2019 through an unforeseen crossover that blended country and hip-hop, the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning single "Old Town Road." A remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus shattered multiple benchmarks and secured the longest uninterrupted run at the top of the U.S. charts on record to date. Capitalizing on that momentum, Lil Nas X collected six Grammy nominations and added two more multi-platinum successes, "Panini" and "Rodeo," both drawn from his 2019 EP 7. Shifting focus again in 2021, he released the pop-inflected blockbuster "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" from his Grammy-nominated first full-length album bearing the same title. He resurfaced in 2024 with the striking track "J Christ."

Originally named Montero Lamar Hill, he put out the 2018 mixtape Nasarati ahead of issuing "Old Town Road" late that same year. The cut spread rapidly across social platforms and, after entering wider circulation, racked up millions of streams. Built on a sample of Nine Inch Nails' "34 Ghosts IV," the under-two-minute recording still advanced into the Hot 100's upper tier. Although it qualified for the Hot Country Songs chart, Billboard removed it for lacking sufficient country components. The resulting debate only increased exposure, and "Old Town Road" kept ascending the primary ranking. Lil Nas X inked a deal with Columbia in March 2019 while the song continued its ascent and saturated radio rotation, propelled by the Billy Ray Cyrus remix to the top position in territories stretching from Australia to Germany to Norway, along with a record 19 weeks at number one domestically and eventual diamond certification.

His eight-track project 7 arrived in June 2019. The wide-ranging EP featured both iterations of "Old Town Road" alongside fresh cuts that spanned mainstream rap and pop to alternative hard rock experiments. Cardi B appeared on "Rodeo," and follow-up single "Panini," aided by DaBaby, reached the Top Five. Capping an exceptional year, Lil Nas X earned six Grammy nods, among them Record of the Year for "Old Town Road," Album of the Year for 7, and Best New Artist; he ultimately claimed trophies for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. He closed the year with his debut holiday release, the seasonal cut "Holiday."

Lil Nas X reemerged in 2021 via the boundary-testing "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)," a track that underscored his identity as a queer icon and rule-breaking creator. The assertive anthem reached number one in no fewer than twenty countries within a month and earned multi-platinum status in both Australia and the United States. He soon issued another flashpoint, "Industry Baby," which included rapper Jack Harlow plus production from Kanye West and Take a Daytrip. Like its predecessor, the song gained traction through a widely shared music video that supported fundraising for The Bail Project. That September he unveiled his proper debut album Montero, which brought in Doja Cat on "Scoop," Elton John on "One of Me," Megan Thee Stallion on "Dolla Sign Slime," and Miley Cyrus on "Am I Dreaming." The album's "That's What I Want" crossed over successfully at radio.

Even with widespread acclaim, Lil Nas X garnered no 2022 BET Award nominations, following a prior ceremony performance that ended with him kissing a male dancer. He attributed the omission to homophobia inside the Black community and answered with "Late to da Party" featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again. Additional collaboration "Down Souf Hoes" with Saucy Santana surfaced shortly afterward as part of material intended for a second album. Ahead of that release he scored further airplay success with "Star Walkin'," selected as the official anthem for the League of Legends world championships. After wrapping his extended headlining tour, he concluded the chapter with the documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, which debuted at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival despite an earlier bomb threat.

Continuing his pattern of provocation, Lil Nas X delivered the early 2024 single and video "J Christ." Several months later he supplied the theme "Here We Go!" for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the fourth film in the revived series, which incorporated a sample of Harold Faltermeyer's original score.