Lil Nas X facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lil Nas X
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Lil Nas X in 2025
|
|
| Born |
Montero Lamar Hill
April 9, 1999 |
| Education | University of West Georgia (no degree) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Austell, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Labels | Columbia |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Montero Lamar Hill (born April 9, 1999), known by his stage name Lil Nas X, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He became famous worldwide with his 2018 country rap song "Old Town Road." The song was number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for 19 weeks. This is the longest time any song has held the top spot since the chart began in 1958.
After "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X signed with Columbia Records. He released his first extended play (EP), 7, in 2019. It included the hit singles "Panini" and "Rodeo." His first full album, Montero (2021), was also a huge success. It featured the number-one hits "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" and "Industry Baby."
Lil Nas X is known for his creative music videos and his fun personality on social media. He has won many awards, including two Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2021.
Contents
Early Life and School
Montero Lamar Hill was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 9, 1999. His parents named him after the Mitsubishi Montero car. When he was six, his parents divorced. He lived with his mother and grandmother in Atlanta for three years. Then, he moved to the city of Austell to live with his father, who was a gospel singer.
As a teenager, Lil Nas X spent a lot of time on the internet. He loved making and sharing memes. He said this was a time when he was trying to figure out who he was. He started playing the trumpet in fourth grade and was very good at it. But he quit because he was afraid of not looking cool.
Lil Nas X graduated from Lithia Springs High School in 2017. He then went to the University of West Georgia to study computer science. However, he left after one year to follow his dream of becoming a musician. To support himself, he worked at Zaxby's restaurants and the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park.
Career
2015–2017: Becoming an Internet Star
Before he was a famous musician, Lil Nas X was an internet personality. He spent a lot of time online building a following. He made funny videos for Facebook and Vine. He became very popular on Twitter, where he learned how to make his posts go viral.
During this time, he ran fan accounts for the rapper Nicki Minaj. For a while, he didn't admit to running the accounts. In 2020, he tweeted that he was a huge fan of hers. He explained that he had been worried about what people might think. Minaj responded kindly, and he apologized to her.
In 2018, Lil Nas X decided to focus on music. He started writing and recording songs in his closet. He chose the name Lil Nas X as a tribute to the rapper Nas.
2018–2019: "Old Town Road" and 7 EP
.jpg)
On December 3, 2018, Lil Nas X released "Old Town Road." He bought the beat for the song online from a Dutch producer named YoungKio for only $30. The beat included a sample from the band Nine Inch Nails.
To promote the song, Lil Nas X made about 100 memes. The song went viral on the social media app TikTok because of the #Yeehaw Challenge. Millions of users made videos of themselves dressed as cowboys and cowgirls using the song. The song became very popular with kids because it was catchy and easy to sing along to.
"Old Town Road" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. However, Billboard removed the song from the Hot Country Songs chart. They said it didn't have enough elements of modern country music. This caused a lot of debate. Some people, like music critic Robert Christgau, felt the decision was unfair.
.jpg)
In April 2019, country star Billy Ray Cyrus joined Lil Nas X for a remix of "Old Town Road." This version became even more popular. The song broke records for the most streams in a single week.
On June 21, 2019, Lil Nas X released his EP, 7. It included the hit song "Panini." The EP reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. That same month, he performed with Billy Ray Cyrus at the 2019 BET Awards and the Glastonbury Festival in the UK.
2020–2021: Montero Album
In November 2020, Lil Nas X released a new single called "Holiday." He promoted it with a virtual concert on the video game platform Roblox.
On March 26, 2021, he released the song "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)." The music video got a lot of attention and caused some controversy. But the song was a huge hit, debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
To promote the song, Lil Nas X partnered with an art company called MSCHF. They released a limited edition of 666 pairs of custom sneakers. Nike stated they were not involved and filed a lawsuit, which stopped the sale of the shoes.
His next single, "Sun Goes Down," was released in May 2021. It was a more personal song about his past struggles. In July, he released "Industry Baby" with rapper Jack Harlow. It also reached number one on the charts.
His debut album, Montero, was released on September 17, 2021. It included the hit single "Thats What I Want." In April 2022, he announced his first concert tour, the Long Live Montero Tour.
2022–Present: New Music and Projects
In 2022, Lil Nas X collaborated with Riot Games, the makers of the video game League of Legends. He released the song "Star Walkin'" as the anthem for the 2022 World Championship and performed it at the event.
A documentary about his life and tour, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
In January 2024, he released the single "J Christ." This was followed by the song "Where Do We Go Now" to go with the streaming release of his documentary. In May 2024, he was featured on Camila Cabello's single "He Knows."
In November 2024, he announced his new album, Dreamboy. He released the singles "Light Again" and "Need Dat Boy." In March 2025, he released several more songs, including "Hotbox," to build excitement for the new album.
Musical Style
Lil Nas X's music is a mix of many genres. These include hip-hop, pop rap, country rap, pop rock, and pop.
He has said that his biggest influences are artists like Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Drake, and Miley Cyrus. He also looks up to LGBTQ artists like Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator. He grew up listening to hip-hop artists like Andre 3000 and Kid Cudi.
Impact
Lil Nas X has had a major impact on music and culture. He was the first openly gay person of color to be on Forbes magazine's list of Highest-Paid Country Acts.
His success with "Old Town Road" challenged what people thought country music could be. Ken Burns, a famous documentary filmmaker, said that Lil Nas X proves that country music has always included many different influences.
The music video for "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" was praised for being bold and creative. Adam B. Vary of Variety magazine wrote that the video "changed everything for queer music artists" because of how openly it celebrated his identity.
Personal Life
On June 30, 2019, the last day of Pride Month, Lil Nas X publicly announced that he is gay. He first hinted at it in his song "C7osure (You Like)." He later confirmed it on Twitter and in an interview with BBC Breakfast.
The announcement received a lot of positive support. It also drew some negative reactions online, but Lil Nas X responded to them with humor. His announcement was seen as a big moment, especially in the hip-hop community.
In 2021, Lil Nas X said that he is a very spiritual person. In December 2023, he posted online that he was entering his "Christian era."
For the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Lil Nas X supported Kamala Harris.
Awards and Achievements
Lil Nas X has won many awards. These include two Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, and a Country Music Association award. He is the first openly LGBT Black artist to win a CMA award.
"Old Town Road" set a record for staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks. It was also the first song to sell 10 million copies while at the top of the chart.
Time named him one of the 25 most influential people on the Internet in 2019. In 2021, he was on the Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Discography
Studio albums
- Montero (2021)
- Dreamboy (2025)
Tours
- Long Live Montero Tour (2022–23)
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020, 2023 | The Eric Andre Show | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Saturday Night Live | Musical guest (1 episode) | |
| Dave | Episode: "Dave" | ||
| 2022–23 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | June Bug (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero | Himself | Documentary film |
| The Bold and the Beautiful | Waiter | Cameo – 9000th episode |
See also
In Spanish: Lil Nas X para niños
- List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones
- List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
- List of most-streamed artists on Spotify
- List of bestselling singles worldwide
- LGBTQ culture in New York City
- List of African-American LGBT people
- African-American LGBT community
- LGBTQ representation in country music
- LGBTQ representation in hip hop music
