Line #15 Music/LilNasX


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/original_1.jpeg]]
2	[floatboxright: Influences:
3	+ Music/NickiMinaj, Music/FrankOcean, Music/TylerTheCreator, Music/{{Drake}}, Music/MileyCyrus, Music/KatyPerry, Music/{{OutKast}}, Music/KendrickLamar, Music/KidCudi, Music/{{Nas}}, Music/DojaCat, Music/{{DMX}}, Music/LilUziVert]
4
5	->''I caught it bad yesterday\
6	You hit me with a call to your place\
7	Ain't been out in a while anyway\
8	Was hopin' I could catch you throwin' smiles in my face\
9	Romantic talkin'? You don't even have to try\
10	You're cute enough to fuck with me tonight\
11	Lookin' at the table, all I see is weed and white\
12	Baby, you livin' the life, but nigga, you ain't livin' right''
13	-->-- '''[[Music/MonteroCallMeByYourName "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)"]]'''
14
15	Montero Lamar Hill (born April 9, 1999), better known as Lil Nas X, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and Internet personality. He's recognized for his {{meme\|ticMutation}}-heavy online presence (mainly through Website/{{Twitter}}) and becoming one of the foremost pop artists of [[TheNewTwenties the 2020s]] following the [[BreakthroughHit breakout viral success]] of his CountryRap single "Old Town Road", which blew up with help from Platform/TikTok.
16
17	Released at the end of 2018, "Old Town Road" first gained traction the following year and began climbing up the ''Billboard'' country chart. The magazine then controversially removed the song from the chart, claiming that it did not adopt enough elements of the genre to be classified as country. However, [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity using the ongoing buzz and conversation to his advantage]], Lil Nas X released a remix of the song with none other than Music/BillyRayCyrus, and both versions of the song wound up peaking at #1 on the general Hot 100, famously holding Music/TaylorSwift's comeback single [="ME!"=] from the top spot and staying at that spot for a collective, record-breaking 19 weeks.[[note]]At one minute and fifty-three seconds, the original version is also ''Billboard''[='=]s shortest number-one single since "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" by Music/HermansHermits in 1965.[[/note]]
18
19	Lil Nas X's career continued from there by transitioning into a more mainstream pop sound with elements of {{trap\|Music}}, [[RAndB R&B]] and {{rock}}. He released his first EP ''7'' in late June 2019, and made headlines just over a week later (on the last day of the month, which is recognized as Pride Month) when he came out as gay, becoming one of the most prominent black male artists in the LGBT community. His next release was his debut album ''Music/{{Montero}}'', wherein most of its singles ("Music/MonteroCallMeByYourName", "Sun Goes Down", "Industry Baby" and "That's What I Want") show him explicitly talking about his sexuality and/or his experiences coming to terms with it for the first time. This subject matter and the imagery associated with it have elicited both widespread praise and controversy -- which he often uses as further marketing.
20	----
21	!!Discography:
22	* ''Nasarati'' (mixtape; 2018)
23	* ''7'' (EP; 2019)
24	* ''Music/{{Montero}}'' (album; 2021)
25	** "Music/MonteroCallMeByYourName"
26	----
27	!! I need someone to trope me:
28	* AscendedMeme: During the infamous "Storm Area51" movement of summer 2019, a crowdfunding campaign sprung up asking for him to perform the song as marching music for the "invaders." Nas X embraced the joke with great enthusiasm, saying that he would gladly perform at Area 51 "[[https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/lil-nas-x-area-51-gofundme/ for free.]]"
29	* BlasphemousBoast: "Bitch I'm back like [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} J. Christ]]!", natch.
30	* BoastfulRap: "Sonic Shit", where he raps about his internet fame pre-"Old Town Road".
31	* BuffySpeak: On the "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" single, the a cappella and instrumental versions are respectively subtitled "But Lil Nas X Makes All The Sounds With His Mouth" and "But Lil Nas X Is Silent The Entire Time".
32	* TheCameo:
33	** Creator/ChrisRock, Vince Staples, {{Music/Rico Nasty}}, [[Music/MajorLazer Diplo]] and [=YoungKio=][[note]]The song's producer[[/note]] all have appearances in the "Old Town Road" official music video.
34	** Creator/ColtonHaynes plays the prison guard in the music video for "Industry Baby," but contrary to popular belief, the Samoan inmate in the yard scene is ''not'' Creator/JasonMomoa.
35	** Creator/BillyPorter plays the pastor in the music video for "That's What I Want".
36	** Lil Nas X himself makes an appearance in the first episode of ''Series/TheMuppetsMayhem'' as himself, being interviewed for a documentary on Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
37	* ClosetKey: What he aims to be towards his closeted gay lover in "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)".
38	* ContinuityNod: During the video for "Holiday", Lil Nas X (as Santa Claus) flies past a version of Mt. Rushmore with the four faces representing his own appearance in the last four music videos: "Old Town Road", "Panini", "Rodeo" and "Holiday" itself.
39	** In the "Industry Baby" music video, a [[Creator/ColtonHaynes prison guard]] is seen watching the Montero (Call Me By Your Name) video, and licking his lips.
40	* CoolCar: Santa's sleigh is reimagined as this in the video for "Holiday", complete with robotic deers pulling it.
41	** He himself is named after the Mitsubishi Montero, a car his mother always wanted.
42	* CountryRap: "Old Town Road" is a unique take on this.
43	* CrownOfHorns: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", the Devil's horns are actually a headband.
44	* CrownOfPower: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", Lil Nas X takes and wears the Devil's headdress, gaining his powers.
45	* CurseCutShort: In the video for "Panini", Skai Jackson at one point visibly mouths "what the fu-" before the camera cuts back to [[ItMakesSenseInContext Lil Nas X air dancing using a jetpack.]]
46	* CyberPunk:
47	** The video for "Panini" takes place in a metropolis which wouldn't be out of place in ''Franchise/BladeRunner'', featuring neon-colored [[AdvertOverloadedFuture hologram ads]] (many of which are of Nas X himself), robots, and hovering vehicles.
48	** The video for "Holiday" has a similar feel, crossed with a Christmas aesthetic.
49	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", Lil Nas X easily takes out the Devil himself with a NeckSnap.
50	* DrowningMySorrows: In the music video for "THATS WHAT I WANT", Lil Nas X learns that the man he loves is married to a woman with whom he has a child. He then drinks wine straight from the bottle, alone in his house, until he passes out.
51	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Some of the lyrics in his earlier works have him rap about being attracted to women. For example, he boasts that his life is "bull-riding and boobies" in "Old Town Road", and refers to his "baby girl" (who isn't a literal child) in "Rodeo". After his coming out, he would be much more open about being into men, with lyrics like "I don't fuck bitches, I'm queer" in "Industry Baby", which can make these older lines feel out-of-place coming from his mouth.
52	* EitherOrTitle: "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)". The "Either" part is the TitleTrack, while the "Or" is how the song was originally announced.
53	* {{Gayngst}}: Sings about going through this in his youth in "Sun Goes Down".
54	* GayCowboy: After coming out, he began leaning into this aesthetic. It reached its pinnacle when he wore a hot pink Prada cowboy suit to the Grammys in 2020.
55	* GenreMashup: Lil Nas X spends much of ''7'' blending all sorts of different sounds together. Music/TravisBarker even shows up to do some punk rock drumming on "F9mily (You & Me)".
56	* HeavenlyConcentricCircles: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name]" opens with an EstablishingShot of a heavenly plane. It's covered by cloud formations arranged like dashed rings spinning around the rising sun. This arrangement evokes a feeling of holiness and purity.
57	* HellHasNewManagement: The video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" ends with Lil Nas X killing the Devil with a NeckSnap and taking his crown.
58	* HoneyTrap: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", Lil Nas X seduces Satan with a lap dance before snapping his neck and taking his crown.
59	* ItsPopularNowItSucks[[invoked]]: {{Discussed\|Trope}} in "Panini", acknowledging how a good portion of his initial underground fans turned on him once he became an overnight sensation. While he's frustrated by their reaction, he isn't willing to give up the fame just for them, but he does extend an olive branch in hopes that they'll change their mind and come back to support him again.
60	* IWantSong: "That's What I Want" is one about his desire for a guy who likes him
61	* LargeHam: Lil Nas himself: Most of his Twitter and personality in real life can be described as a shitposter, joking around and being incredibly playful with his popularity. The only time this wasn't the case was when he dead-pan tweeted that "Old Town Road" was [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin just about horses]] and not some deep symbolism of gay sex following his coming out.
62	* MachoCamp: As of the ''Montero'' album cycle, Lil Nas X has fully leaned into this aesthetic. He and the dancers he chooses for the visuals/performances are cut, chisled and very manly - but it's clear they are also gay and campy. The "Industry Baby" video takes place in a prison with gruff dudes, all while wearing pink.
63	* MindControlEyes: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", when Lil Nas X is mesmerized by the snake, his eyes turn the same shiny pale color as the snake's third eye.
64	* MinisculeRocking: At 4 minutes and 10 seconds, "Void" is his only song to date over 4 minutes. The majority of his songs are at least a minute shorter; both the original "Old Town Road" and "Panini" clocked in at just under two minutes. Played straightest by the interlude "The Art of Realization" at just 24 seconds.
65	* MockHollywoodSign: The music video for "Holiday" has Lil Nas riding on Santa's sleigh, passing over a "HOLIDAY" sign, stylized after the Hollywood Sign.
66	* MrFanservice:
67	** Dancing down a stripper pole to hell only in boxer briefs and thigh-high boots, then giving Satan a lap dance in "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)".
68	** A large portion of the video for "Industry Baby" involves him and other very muscular prison inmates dancing naked in the prison showers, censored by pixelation. A follow-up video purports to be the uncensored version, but just before it cuts to the naked dancers, [[{{Troll}} it begins to buffer indefinitely]].
69	* MrSeahorse: In 2021, as part of the leadup to the release of ''Montero'', Lil Nas X began posting photos and video of himself with a faux pregnant belly, with the child's due date scheduled for the same day as the album's release. This culminated in a sketch called "Lil Nas X Gives Birth" being released to coincide with the release of the album.
70	* NeckSnap: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", Lil Nas X goes to hell, seduces Satan, then breaks his neck.
71	* PowerGivesYouWings: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", when Lil Nas X gains the Devil's power, he sprouts dark feathered wings from his back.
72	* PowerGlows: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", when Lil Nas X gains the Devil's power, his eyes glow solid white.
73	* ProductPlacement:
74	** ''Loads'' of it in the music video for "Panini". It is unclear whether it was a commentary on commercialism to fit in with the dystopian city which the video is set in and the fact that post-success Lil Nas X is now associated with so many brands, paid product placement, or (most likely) both.
75	** "Sun Goes Down" features him working in a Taco Bell, [[https://twitter.com/LilNasX/status/1393592061144670210?s=19 where he worked at in real life]].
76	** The music video for ''Rodeo'' features Lil Nas X (playing a vampire) approaching a rack of Estée Lauder serum and testing one out [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment before moving on with dancing and singing]].
77	*** This was hilariously mocked in his sketch "The Montero Show" where Lil Nas X criticises the blatant and nonsensical product placement ruining the entire video... [[HypocriticalHumor only for the show's host (also played by Lil Nas X) to interrupt the interview to advertise a different skincare product]].
78	* RecordProducer: His main producers are the duo Take A Daytrip, who held his first professional recording session (where they created "Panini") and have worked with him ever since.
79	* {{Sampling}}:
80	** "Old Town Road" samples the Music/NineInchNails track "34 Ghosts VI," which bizarrely gives [=NIN=]'s Trent Reznor a songwriting credit on the biggest hip-hop song of 2019.
81	** The chorus melody for "Panini" [[https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/20/entertainment/lil-nas-x-panini-new-song-trnd/index.html accidentally]] [[Main/SuspiciouslySimilarSong sounded so eerily similar]] to the chorus melody from Music/{{Nirvana}}'s "In Bloom" that Kurt Cobain ends up being posthumously credited as a songwriter.
82	** His earlier song "Sonic Shit" from ''Nasarati'' is more-or-less built by sampling Lil Yachty's "NBAYOUNGBOAT" and sound effects from ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog''.
83	* SatanicPanic: [[InvokedTrope Reignited this]] in [[MoralGuardians reactionary conservative media]] with his video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", which features him descending into hell [[AHellOfATime and allowing himself to be free in the vices he's been consumed in]]. It also invoked a GayPanic as said vices being addressed have to do with [[FlamingDevil flamboyant sexual expression]].
84	* ScrewYourself: As a corollary of ActingForTwo, in the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" Lil Nas X plays both the Adam/Eve figure and the snake seducing him, ending up with them kissing.
85	* SelfTitledAlbum: A variant; Rather than being titled after his stage name, the song and album ''Montero'' are titled after his given name.
86	* SesameStreetCred: [[https://youtu.be/J4BS8BXEB_k He sang with Elmo]] on an episode of ''Series/TheNotTooLateShowWithElmo''.
87	* ShoutOut:
88	** His name is a combination of Music/LilWayne, Music/{{Nas}} and Music/{{DMX}}.
89	** "Sonic Shit" references, among other things, ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' (obviously), {{Music/Migos}}, Creator/PaulWalker, and ''Series/TheGetDown''.
90	** Among other things, the music video for the Billy Ray Cyrus/Young Thug/Mason Ramsey remix of "Old Town Road" features Creator/KeanuReeves [[Manga/{{Naruto}} Naruto running]] and a purple crow with [[Film/AvengersEndgame Thanos's head.]] [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Your guess is as good as ours.]]
91	** The namesake StrawFan of "Panini" is named after a character from ''WesternAnimation/{{Chowder}}'', whose signature character trait is [[StalkerWithACrush die-hard obsession]] [[SingleTargetSexuality to a single person]]. There's even [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUE2DuMP9y8 an official music video]] animated directly after the show.
92	** The music video for "Rodeo" features a ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' reference, vampires, similarities to "Thriller" by Music/MichaelJackson, Doritos Cool Ranch and ''Film/TheMatrix''.
93	** A scene from the music video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" references Music/FKATwigs' video for "Cellophane", as it involves the singer pole dancing, approaching a heavenly winged figure then plummeting underground.
94	** The title of "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" is taken from André Aciman's [[Literature/CallMeByYourName homonymous novel]] and its [[Film/CallMeByYourName film adaptation]].
95	** The music video for "That's What I Want" draws in part from ''Film/BrokebackMountain''.
96	* SkyFace: In the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", when Lil Nas X is running from the snake, he sees a face in the clouds.
97	* SnakesAreSexy: The snake in the video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" plays the role of a seducer.
98	* StrawFan: "Panini" is about a fan who became displeased with Lil Nas X after he suddenly gained national fame and recognition.
99	-->'''Lil Nas X''': Ay, Panini\
100	Don't you be a meanie\
101	Thought you wanted me to go up\
102	Why you tryna keep me teeny?
103	* {{Stripperiffic}}: A RareMaleExample in "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)": Lil Nas X spends the latter half of the music video in nothing but boxer briefs and thigh-high heeled boots.
104	* ThenLetMeBeEvil: The video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" ends with him willingly going to Hell on a stripper pole, giving Satan a lapdance, then killing him and taking his crown. The entire video serves as a TakeThat to conservative Christian homophobia. If he's going to Hell, he might as well do it as fabulously as possible ''and'' take over in the bargain.
105	* WingedHumanoid: The video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" features an angelic winged figure hovering over Lil Nas X, and at the end Lil Was X gains demonic wings on his back.
106	* YouAreNotAlone: Sings about bullying, homophobia, and {{Gayngst}} growing up, and assures others everything will be alright in "Sun Goes Down".

Context Music / LilNasX