Sixty years ago. the United States was segreatated, blacks and people of color went to different schools than whites. Students were forbiden in some states to share text books. There were seperate and unequal laws for whites and people of color in many states.
In 1961, one of the highest paid singers in the world, wanted to expanding musicially. Naturally, their agent, the record company, musicians working with artist disagreeed, as their income and livelyhood was based on a single music catagory. Under the terms of the contract with the record company, this singer was free to do as they pleased,be it opera, bluegrass, or pop music.
In 1962, “Modern Sounds in Country and Western” became one of Ray Charles biggest selling albums. Charles born in the south, love country and western music. The album sold more than 700,000 copies in the first month. The follow up album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western, Vol 2” went gold the following year. Most country radio stations would not play his music, however many did. This album, expanded his fan base across the world.
How do you follow…….
Old Town Road! The song was #1 in Tweleve Countries, something the Queen Bee couldn’t pull that off. For nearly 27 years, Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” was the longest #1 song (16 weeks) on Billboard until…(OTR) ecliped it at 19 weeks. (OTR) featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, has become the highest certified song ever by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), reaching 14-times platinum status in the U.S. — accumulating 14 million in equivalent song units. The song received tons of nominations.
Montero Lamar Hill (Lil Nas X) At nineteen years old,Time, named him one of the 25 most influential people on the Internet and before his twentith birthday he made Forbes Magazine “30 under 30”
Like Ray Charles, Lil Nas X did the impossible. He bridged two distinct musical genres, Country and Hip Hop. Then, the 19 year old, did the unthinkable, he came out. Homophobia, is one of the few things, Hip Hop and Country have incommon, particuly toward males artists. Lil Nas, was the first openly Black Gay Artist to win a Country Music Association award. Dispite a few bumps, Lil Nas, is unversally loved. Because of (OTR) his fan base is broad, emcompassing several generations from children to Baby Boomers.
Drip, Drip, Drip
If there is one thing Lil Nas, understands is social media. Despite his age (he turns 21 on April 9th) between the ages of fourteen and fifteen, he started promoting himself on social media.
After a year of silence, many artists will have to reintrouduce themselves to the public.
Last summer, Lil Nas played snippets of a new song on Twitter, teasing about a new album due to be released in 2021. (Tenatively Called “Montero”-yes his mother named him after a Mitsubitshi)
2021
January: Lil Nas releases, a childrens book “C is for Country” Febuary: Lil Nas, released more snippits of the song on Twiiter and annouced the official release date of the song. March: We learned the song has a gay theme. It it was written about a man he met in 2020, who was partying and doing drugs while in quarantine. Like (OTR) there may be several versions and videos of this song. There is a longer version of “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”, called Satan’s extended version.
Promotion too Far?
Lil Nas X put human blood into 666 pairs of Nikes because being queer means embracing your villainy.
A few weeks before the official release date of Montero. Lil Nas announced his team created 666 individually numbered pairs of Nike shoes, with pentagrams, inverted crosses, and contained a drop of blood. The shoes, which cost $1,018 per pair, sold out in less than two minutes. Montero was released on March 26..
3/31 Nike is suing the maker of those bloody shoes for trademark infrigement.
In a tweet he wrote: “I spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the shitt y’all preached would happen to me because i was gay. So I hope u are mad, stay mad, feel the same anger you teach us to have towards ourselves.”
The criticism and the blacklash has been swift, homosexuality, Satanism, all in one video. The majority of the criticism will come from people who will never see the video.
“I don’t want my grandbaby to see it at all” “I’m afraid if she goes looking for Old Town Road, this video would come next”– Actress Lisa Raye on Fox Soul’s Podcast “Cocktails with the Queens”
Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota reacted to the Satan Shoe on Twitter, writing: “Our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it’s ‘exclusive.’ But do you know what’s more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul.”
Sirus XM Radio Host, Clay Cane said on CNN: Nas isn’t worshiping the devil, he is coming from a place of deep hurt. This tweet speaks volumes for millions of queer folks, especially Black queer people, who have suffered spiritual and theological violence at the hand of church doctrines. X’s words are ones the late, great James Baldwin — who once wrote, “Because I was born in a Christian culture, I never considered myself to be totally a free human being” — would admire and support.Like Baldwin, Lil Nas X is insisting on being totally free. He is turning the devil’s mirror on everyone who told him to hate himself. He is refusing to wallow in the “love the sinner, hate the sin” trope, and he is shedding light on the literal hell the people in his community have been put through. For many queer folks, especially youth, hell is right here on Earth, in churches, schoolyards and homes.
I remember being twenty one, and have raised twenty one year olds. From the time they reach the age of majority, its about independence. Being your own person, making your own decisions and answering to no one! What a twenty something doesn’t fully realize, are the repercussions from those positions. Some could be life altering, and one is NEVER fully prepared.
The controversy from this song is just beginning and it is likely to get much worse. Its not so much about his sexuality, the issue for most people is religion, more importantly, what is perceived as celebrating or worshipping the devil.
The jar is open and the top is broken. Old Town Road was heaven, its generated joy the world over. This is a teachable moment for Lil Nas X, hopefully he has a strong support system because Montero is gonna be hell.
CityFella
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