After the song “Old Town Road” dominated the charts in 2019, Lil Nas X (full name Montero Lamar Hill) has been on fire, with a stream of massive hit singles that reside at the top of the charts for weeks. His career is both wildly successful and controversial- stemming from him coming out as gay back in 2019.
It is no secret that the rap industry is plagued with homophobia; Nas saw a lot of backlash from the rap community when he came out. His music video for his single “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” garnered national criticism for being offensive and inappropriate for children. The thing is, that is his intention.
Lil Nas X’s debut album “Montero” is about the nuance between his wild success as an artist, while also tackling the criticism he gets for his identity. Nas embraces his sexuality with pride and gives a prominent middle finger to anybody who doesn’t accept him.
He didn’t step back when he faced criticism earlier this year for giving a lap dance to the devil; instead, he pushed harder by including a graphic shower scene in his music video for “INDUSTRY BABY”. He scrutinizes the double standard of how straight artists can flaunt their sexual promiscuity without backlash; Lil Nas X makes his sexuality seen and it is revolutionary.
The first half of the album mixes pop, rap, trap and punk and meshes them together into a sleek and polished series of anthems about his success, despite all of the obstacles he faced. Fun and hype songs like “SCOOP (feat. Doja Cat)” and “THAT’S WHAT I WANT” flex Lil Nas X’s profound ability to make hard danceable beats. He is not going to filter out his identity to make people more comfortable; he is in your face and lets you know he is here to stay.
In the second half of the album, starting around the song “TALES OF DOMINICA”, Lil Nas X takes a different approach. “Montero“ moves from the typical flashy pop album and transcends into a deeply personal exploration of Lil Nas X’s fears, insecurities and struggles to accept himself growing up. Songs like “SUN GOES DOWN” and “DON’T WANT IT” eulogize his conflicts with his identity while tackling fame. “Montero” is a human being who just wants somebody to love, and he lets us see that side of him.
“Montero” is a beautiful, fun and reflective look into the experience of a fractured man who manages to stand with pride and self-love, even though his own society instilled self-hatred into his bones. He is a beacon for young people who are struggling with their own sexualities, conveying the message “I am here, I am successful, and I don’t change myself for anybody.” Lil Nas X is one of the music industry’s brightest stars right now. I am eager to see where he goes from here.
Favorite Tracks: “INDUSTRY BABY (feat Jack Harlow)”, “THAT’S WHAT I WANT”, “AM I DREAMING (feat Miley Cyrus”), “SUN GOES DOWN”.
