Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X broke through in 2018 with “Old Town Road,” a country rap single that spent a then-record 19 weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Born Montero Lamar Hill on April 9, 1999, the Georgia-born rapper, singer, and songwriter became the first artist to come out as gay while holding a number-one record. The song later became the second highest-certified track in the United States, with 17 platinum certifications.

After “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X signed with Columbia Records and released his debut EP, 7, in 2019. Its follow-up singles included “Panini,” which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Rodeo,” later remixed with Nas, which reached number 22. His work has paired rap and pop songwriting with country references, while his videos and public persona have often foregrounded queer imagery and an active social media presence.

His debut studio album, Montero, arrived in 2021 and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The album earned an Album of the Year nomination at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards and produced the Hot 100 number-one singles “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” and “Industry Baby,” featuring Jack Harlow, as well as the top-ten single “Thats What I Want.”

Lil Nas X has received two Grammy Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, two BET Hip Hop Awards, two iHeartRadio Music Awards, and two American Music Awards. Forbes included him in its 2020 30 Under 30 list, while Time named him among the world’s 100 most influential people in 2021. In May 2022, he received the Hal David Starlight Award, becoming the youngest honoree in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.