By the time Lil Nas X released the remix to “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus in April 2019, it was clear that the rapper behind the phenomenon wasn’t simply a burgeoning pop star, he was a multi-platform experience. When he came out on the last day of Pride month over the summer, it was proof that underneath the kitsch, the algorithms, and the catchy melodies ran a current of authenticity. On Friday, his commitment to being a different type of celebrity was apparent in the video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” his first new release of 2021.
The video, directed by Ukrainian photographer Tanu Muino, who has also worked with Cardi B and Katy Perry, shows the psychedelic journey of a suite of characters, mainly played by Lil Nas himself, from a Garden of Eden-esque paradise to the underworld, all rendered with visual effects. Lil Nas X, whose given name is Montero Lamar Hill, also released a message to his 14-year-old self that connected the lyrical subject matter to his own sexuality. “I know we promised to never come out publicly,” he wrote in a Tweet. “I know we promised to never be ‘that’ type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist.”
Soon, right wing figures on social media began to seize on the image of the rapper pole-dancing to Hell and grinding on a devil figure, but he took it in stride. “There is a mass shooting every week that our government does nothing to stop,” he tweeted. “Me sliding down a cgi pole isn’t what’s destroying society.” It’s that sense of social engagement and humor that makes him a helpful figure for explaining Gen Z to the rest of us.
From the beginning of his career he’s been inextricably linked to big corporate tech, from TikTok challenge that made his first song a success to the Logitech Super Bowl commercial where a snippet of “Montero” debuted. But by marrying his affection for expensive spectacle to honest emotions and a bit of Twitter counterpunching, he has become much easier to root for than you might expect. Lil Nas X is a perfect avatar for a moment that mixes earnest individual expression with referential pastiche, all mediated by technology.
From the moment “Old Town Road” crossed over to the mainstream, it was clear the skillful poster turned country rapper was living a modern day version of the Cinderella story. By the time the song made history by spending 19 weeks at the top of the charts, it was possible to feel a bit sorry for him. The attention economy has always been fickle, and even artists who have built durable careers after early success can feel harangued by their biggest hit. Even if he never recreates that insane level of success, he has already moved on to trying something new.
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