Last summer, Lil Nas X was pretty much a regular kid. He ran a Nicki Minaj fan account on Twitter and struggled to hold down jobs at theme parks and chicken restaurant chains. Now he’s a borderline household name, proving wrong all those who suggested he might be a one-hit wonder. For context, Lil Nas X has introduced what is known as “country rap” to the music industry, and a lot of people felt a type of way about it — especially *questionable* country fans. Of course, Lil Nas X wasn’t the first to hit the genre — any ’00s baby remembers Nelly’s incomparable music — BUT he’s doing it big for Gen Z. Here he told GQ Hype, ”I’m still in the first stage of figuring out who I am”.
The young musician also spoke about coming out, specifically giving advice to others who may find themselves in the same boat. “Live your life to its fullest potential and don’t really care too much about what other people think of you. I used to say that cliché, but I never really lived by it, until now,” he says about coming out.
He’s still a little overwhelmed at “having to be a voice”, he says, but it’s all worth it when he’s reminded of the power of his visibility as a gay man in a hip hop community that’s historically been entrenched in homophobia. “Since I came out, people have been coming up to me saying, ‘You’re making a way for us,’” he says proudly.
See the full interview available online now via GQ HYPE: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/lil-nas-x-interview
