Lil Nas X is a prominent American rapper, singer, and songwriter.
He gained widespread recognition with his 2019 country rap track “Old Town Road,” which held the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for a record-breaking 19 weeks since the chart’s establishment in 1958. Additionally, during this time, Lil Nas X publicly announced his sexual orientation as gay, making him the sole artist to come out while topping the charts.
Early life and Education
Montero Lamar Hill was born on April 9, 1999, in Lithia Springs, Georgia. He was named after the Mitsubishi Montero and spent his early years in Atlanta’s Bankhead neighborhood. After his parents’ divorce, he lived with his mother and grandmother before moving in with his gospel singer father in Austell. Despite initial reluctance, he later saw the move as beneficial, avoiding negative influences in Atlanta. Hill turned to internet memes during his teenage years, struggling with his identity as a gay individual before accepting it in his late teens. Though talented in music, he quit playing trumpet due to social pressures. He attended Lithia Springs High School and briefly studied computer science at the University of West Georgia before dropping out to pursue music. During this time, he worked odd jobs to support himself and even performed a surprise concert at his former high school in September 2019.
Career
On December 3, 2018, Lil Nas X released his country rap song “Old Town Road.” He acquired the beat anonymously from Dutch producer YoungKio for $30 on the BeatStars platform. The song samples Nine Inch Nails’ “34 Ghosts IV.” Recorded at an Atlanta studio called CinCoYo during their “$20 Tuesdays,” the session took less than an hour. Lil Nas X initially promoted the song with memes before it gained traction on TikTok, where the #Yeehaw Challenge sparked its viral spread in early 2019. With millions of users participating, the song’s popularity soared, aided by its appeal to both adult and child audiences. It debuted at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually reached number one. Additionally, it entered the Hot Country Songs chart at number 19 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 36. Following intense competition among record labels, Lil Nas X signed with Columbia Records in March 2019.
In April 2019, Billy Ray Cyrus joined Lil Nas X for a remix of “Old Town Road,” marking the first of several remixes. That same month, Lil Nas X set a new record for the most U.S. streams from a single song in one week, surpassing Drake’s previous record. By August 2019, “Old Town Road” had amassed over a billion plays on Spotify alone. In May 2019, the music video was released, accumulating over 370 million views as of August 2019. Lil Nas X’s crossover success across various social media platforms has cemented him as a pioneering micro-platform crossover star in the age of social media. His second single, “Panini,” was released in June 2019, followed by a remix featuring rapper DaBaby in mid-September. He also released his second EP, “7,” which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Lil Nas X performed with Billy Ray Cyrus at the 2019 BET Awards and made his international debut at the UK’s Glastonbury Festival, where he surprised the audience by coming out as gay. This revelation was significant for a Black queer male artist in genres like country and hip hop, which historically marginalized queer artists. In July, Rolling Stone premiered its Top 100 chart, with three Lil Nas X songs featured prominently. On August 19, 2019, he opened for Katy Perry at an Amazon concert held to celebrate its Prime Day sale.
On July 7, 2020, Lil Nas X announced that his debut album was nearing completion and mentioned working on a mixtape, inviting producers to submit beats for his new music. Later, on November 8, 2020, he unveiled his new single, “Holiday,” which was released on November 13. To promote the single, a virtual concert was held on Roblox, accompanied by Lil Nas X-themed items in the game’s avatar shop. “Holiday” debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, with its music video quickly accumulating tens of millions of views. In January 2021, Lil Nas X released a children’s book titled “C Is for Country.” The following month, he previewed his song “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” in a Super Bowl LV commercial. The song, along with its music video, was officially released on March 26, 2021. On the same day, Lil Nas X announced that his debut album would be titled “Montero” and would be released in mid-2021. Despite stirring controversy, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Lil Nas X’s second chart-topping single and third top-ten single.
On March 29, 2021, Lil Nas X collaborated with the New York-based art collective MSCHF to release a modified pair of Nike Air Max 97s named Satan Shoes, featured in the music video for “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).” These shoes, adorned with a bronze pentagram and containing “60cc and 1 drop of human blood,” were sold for $1,018 with only 666 pairs made. However, Nike distanced themselves from the project, stating they were not involved in its creation and did not endorse the messages conveyed by Lil Nas X or MSCHF. Consequently, Nike filed a trademark lawsuit against MSCHF, leading to a temporary restraining order blocking the sale and distribution of the shoes. Lil Nas X responded to the lawsuit with a humorous meme on Twitter. Later, he released a prelude video for his song “Industry Baby,” featuring a staged “Nike vs. Lil Nas X” trial in the Supreme Court, where the controversy over the Satan Shoes was discussed before condemning the singer for his sexuality.
Following the controversies, Lil Nas X released the introspective single “Sun Goes Down” on May 21, 2021, reflecting on his struggles with bullying and coming to terms with his homosexuality. He performed the song on Saturday Night Live the following day, where he experienced a wardrobe malfunction during a pole dance routine. On June 29, he teased his debut album, revealing its title as Montero, the Album. He also shared a snippet of a track called “Industry Baby,” which was released as a single on July 23, featuring rapper Jack Harlow and production by Kanye West and Take a Daytrip. The song debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and later reached number one on the chart, becoming Lil Nas X’s third number-one single and fourth top-ten hit.
On September 17, 2021, Lil Nas X released his debut album, Montero, along with its fourth single, “That’s What I Want.” Later, on October 23, 2021, he surprised fans with a performance at Diplo’s set during Electronic Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, where he performed “Industry Baby,” “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” and his breakthrough hit, “Old Town Road.”
Then, on April 26, 2022, he announced his first concert tour, the Long Live Montero Tour, in support of his album. The tour kicked off in September 2022 and ran through January 2023, giving fans the opportunity to experience his music live.
On March 16, 2022, Lil Nas X ended his hiatus by teasing two songs from his upcoming album, “Late to da Party” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and “Down Souf Hoes” featuring Saucy Santana. He also gave fans a preview of another track titled “Lean on My Body.” “Late to da Party” was eventually released as a single on June 24, 2022. Lil Nas X described the album as “something fun, something for the summertime, something for the girls to get ready and party to.”
During his Long Live Montero Tour, Lil Nas X performed his then-unreleased single “Star Walkin'” and the intro to “Down Souf Hoes.” On September 15, 2022, Riot Games announced a collaboration with Lil Nas X for the 2022 League of Legends World Championship, dubbing him “President of League of Legends,” which some viewed as a publicity stunt. The tournament’s anthem, “Star Walkin’,” was released on September 22, accompanied by an animated music video, and performed at the opening ceremony of the tournament on November 5. Additionally, a custom outfit designed by Lil Nas X for a playable character in the game was available in November.
On October 19, 2022, Lil Nas X invited Saucy Santana to join him on tour to perform the intro of “Down Souf Hoes” along with an unreleased verse. During his performance at Lollapoloza Chile on March 17, 2023, Lil Nas X showcased an extended play of the song’s intro.
On January 3, 2024, Lil Nas X announced his single “J Christ,” which was released on January 12. Following this, his next single, “Where Do We Go Now,” debuted on January 26, 2024, alongside the streaming release of the documentary “Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero.”
Personal life
In early June 2019, Lil Nas X came out to his sister and father, feeling compelled by what he saw as a sign from the universe, despite uncertainty about his fans’ reactions. On June 30, 2019, the final day of Pride Month, he publicly came out as gay, confirming earlier hints in his track “c7osure.” The cover art of his EP 7, featuring a rainbow-colored building, further underscored his message. In subsequent interviews, including one on BBC Breakfast, he openly discussed his sexuality, acknowledging the challenges of acceptance within the country and rap music communities.
While the response was largely positive, Lil Nas X also faced homophobic backlash on social media, including from within the hip hop community, highlighting ongoing issues of homophobia in the genre. In January 2020, rapper Pastor Troy made derogatory remarks about Lil Nas X’s Grammy Awards outfit, prompting a sassy response from Lil Nas X.
In January 2023, Lil Nas X hinted at being “a little bisexual” in a tweet, followed by another tweet declaring it as his final coming-out statement. Then, in November 2023, he reaffirmed his identity by tweeting, “still gay.”
In September 2021, Lil Nas X mentioned that he had been an atheist “at one point” but had since evolved into a “very spiritual person” with beliefs centered around the universe and its workings.
However, in December 2023, he surprised many by announcing that he had embraced Christianity.
Influence
Lil Nas X’s influence extends far beyond his music. He’s become an icon of empowerment, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, for his openness about his sexuality and his unapologetic embrace of his identity. His willingness to challenge norms and confront controversies head-on has made him a symbol of resilience and authenticity for many. Additionally, his creative vision and innovative approach to music and visual storytelling have inspired a new generation of artists to push boundaries and explore new possibilities in the industry.
Net Worth
Estimated to be over 12 million dollars