What Lil Nas X Has to Say About Beyonce’s Country Music Era?

Though its been some years since we yee’d our haws and eased on down Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” it seems as if he’s grateful to have played his part and paved the way for others like Beyonce and country rapper (also featured on Bey’s Cowboy Carter album) Shaboozey.

Speaking in a new interview with the BBC, the Montero rapper reflected on his popular country song with Billy Ray Cyrus and the negative backlash he initially received when he branched out. As for where he stands on Bey, Shaboozey and other Black artists who are now taking over the genre, Nas X said that he’s “happy for them” but that “I wish this would have happened for me. I wasn’t even able to experience this.”

And he’s correct on that. In fact, “Old Town Road” was so ill-received, Billboard took the song off their country music charts—never mind the fact that it was the fastest song in 2019 to reach Diamond status and sell out 10 million copies.

“Upon further review, it was determined that ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X does not currently merit inclusion on Billboard‘s country charts. When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition. While ‘Old Town Road’ incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version,” a statement from them read at the time.

“Today’s country music” seems like a loaded statement in hindsight now, huh?

Regardless of that fact, it doesn’t seem like he’s bitter from the success of his peers. Not wanting to show any signs of beef or jealousy, the “Scoop” rapper responded back to a Rolling Stone article about his words and clarified:

“You don’t have take me out of context and paint me as bitter rolling stone. i said im proud and happy for them while i also wish i wasn’t removed from the chart.. especially now that country has more trap/rap influences than ever.”