Lil Nas X was busy making headlines, not for anything that he did himself, but for the indirect effects of the smash he found in his "Old Town Road" track. The song has become a viral hit for the 19-year-old Atlanta artist and Country music-influenced undertones sparked a "#yeehaw" challenge that quickly saw it rise the ranks, even landing on the Billboard Hot Country Chart earlier in the month before it was promptly removed after Billboard decided it was not classified as a country song.
The removal sparked outrage across many with the likes of Joe Budden, 9th Wonder and Ski Mask The Slump God voicing their distaste for the decision and raising the question of who can decide what a particular genre sounds like, especially considering the everchanging look of hip-hop's soundscapes. Most recently, Lil Nas, himself, spoke out about the removal in an interview with Time Magazine.
"The song is country trap," he tells the publication. "It’s not one, it’s not the other. It’s both. It should be on both."
"I believe whenever you’re trying something new, it’s always going to get some kind of bad reception," he adds of what he believes the reasoning to be. "For example, when rap started, or when rock and roll began. But with country trap, I in no way want to take credit for that. I believe Young Thug would be one of the biggest pioneers in that."
Lil Nas has been quite the topic as of late and after signing with Columbia Records, let's hope he's equipped with a team who can propel fleeting attention into viable longevity.