You know that song you hear ALL THE TIME? Yeah, that one: “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. That song is literally the Billboard number one song in the country, and it’s been number one for 15 straight weeks. And it’s no surprise, too, since Lil Nas X has been shaking up the music industry ever since he first broke onto the charts.
According to Stereogum, “Part of its longevity has to do with how well Lil Nas X has been able to hold onto the cultural conversation via whatever wacky memes are currently blowing up on the internet.”
Just watch this remix video of Old Town Road, which purposefully plays on memes and virality. You’ll see that Lil Nas X has a knack for taking what’s popular on the internet and using it to boost his song, which is — if it lasts two more weeks — going to beat out Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” and Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito” as the longest-reigning chart-topper.
Yet again, we’ve been treated to another video — this time it’s “Old Town Road” set against the backdrop of Area 51. Why Area 51, you may ask? Well, the infamous forbidden zone has been in the news after a Facebook event circulated to set up a mass meet-up at the United States Air Force facility. The purpose? To find aliens, of course! (Side note: The government is not keen on this, at all, and says that they’re concerned. So, ahem, please be safe).
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Of course, after this happened, someone set up a GoFundMe campaign to get Lis Nas X to play at Area 51 after everyone stormed in. Because it’s 2019 and of course people want aliens and concerts at the same time. Ah, the power of the internet! We can already hear the echoes of “Old Town Road” blaring out into the vast, dry desert landscape…
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When the campaign was first set up, Lil Nas X said, “i got y’all for free! let’s do this sh*t!” We really like him!
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So, after all of that, Lil Nas X released an animated video for a spin off titled “Old Town Raid,” which is sort of totally bonkers. Not only does it feature animated versions of Lil Nas, Cyrus, Thug, and Ramsey riding into an alien area, it’s got a bunch of other wacky references. Like glimpses of Keanu Reeves (everyone’s favorite human being and internet meme!), Avengers, and Minecraft.
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This ought to keep the song at the top of the charts for at least another two weeks, huh? We think yes.
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So, who is Lil Nas X and why is he such an internet genius? His real name is Montero Lamar Hill and he’s a 20-year-old rapper, songwriter, and singer. “Old Town Road” was his breakout song, which went viral on the app TikTok.
It reached #1 on the Country Charts and then, in a shockingly controversial move, was REMOVED for not being country enough. In fact, Billboard said it “does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version.”
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To that, Lil Nas X said, “I started to think about it, I was like, you know, why? After like listening to other songs that’s actually on that chart, it’s like, wait a minute, something’s not right, basically.”
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He’s also the only openly gay artist to top the charts for such a long period of time for a hip-hop song. And we think it’s pretty amazing, especially considering that he’s approached controversy and backlash by making more music and more art.
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Lil Nas X released his very first EP, titled 7, on June 21, 2019. Another one of his songs, Panini, also tops the charts — so check it out.
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But back to the original topic of Lil Nas’s removal from the charts. One Twitter user asked why other artists can move between genres, but Lil Nas X was penalized and removed:
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A lot of people are calling it a racist move.
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What do you think of the new video for Old Town Road? Are you loving the video as much as everyone else is?
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