‘Montero:’ A look into the unapologetically queer life of Lil Nas X
Written by Kalijah Rahming
To say that Lil Nas X has taken over the world by storm would be a gross understatement. In 2019, the Georgia-born musician found his way to success with “Old Town Road.” This track, and its star-studded remixes featuring artists like country superstar Billy Ray Cyrus and even RM from BTS, created a lot of controversy within the white-washed country music genre.
Although the song is labeled as a country-trap hybrid, Billboard had it removed from their Hot Country Songs Chart in March of that same year. Although they were quick to claim that Lil Nas X’s race had nothing to do with this choice, many supporters did not believe them.
On his debut album, Montero, Lil Nas X provides his audience with a more introspective look into his mind as a now 22-year-old musician. As a queer Black artist, he has had to work diligently to create a safe space for himself within the music industry. One way that he set himself apart from many other artists was by creating either a visualizer or a music video for every single song on the album. His audience would be able to know exactly what was going on in his mind for every single song, from the positives to the negatives.
By opening up the album with “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X explores the often complicated relationship between religion and sexuality. The song takes its title from two sources: the hit 2017 film featuring Timothée Chalamet and Lil Nas X’s own first name. “MONTERO” held its own fair share of controversy, from the hyper-sexualized lyrics and music video (which even featured him grinding on the Devil) to the heavily scrutinized Satan shoes.
Despite the beautiful jazz undertones and choruses of “hallelujahs” in the background of “DEAD RIGHT NOW,” the song actually contains very dark themes. Nas explains his turbulent history with the music industry, even going so far as to share his own previous desire to end his own life.
“INDUSTRY BABY,” featuring up-and-coming rapper, Jack Harlow, pokes fun at the common belief that the two artists are industry plants. This highly popular song was even performed at the VMAs, garnering a lot of positive responses. “THAT’S WHAT I WANT” and “THE ART OF REALIZATION” highlight Nas’s own desires for love and his quest to uncover who he is as a human being.
“SCOOP,” the 6th song on the album, details Nas’s desire for a noncommittal relationship. This song even features Doja Cat, an October Libra who treats this song with equal parts grace and passion. Her voice seems almost to bounce over the lyrics, gracing them with her own unique flair. “ONE OF ME” is another song detailing how many people thought Nas would just be another one-hit wonder. Obviously he proved them wrong, even managing to feature rock legend Elton John playing piano in the background.
Like many of us, Nas has loved and lost. “LOST IN THE CITADEL” taps into these emotions, showing his healing process after a loved one left him behind. The next song in this album, “DOLLA SIGN SLIME,” takes a completely different tune. Nas and the new Houston legend, Megan Thee Stallion, create another self-love anthem where they share their pride in how far they've come. “TALES OF DOMINICA” and “SUN GOES DOWN” explore harsh details of Nas’s personal life, illustrating his toxic family environment and struggles with deep depression.
“VOID,” one of the most heart-wrenching songs, is written as a letter to young Nas himself, whom he lovingly calls ‘Blue.’ Some fans have noted the similarity to the popular 2018 film, Love Simon, where the main love interest goes by the same name. “DONT WANT IT” and “LIFE AFTER SALEM” discuss the struggles of fame and loving someone who has disregarded you. Closing out this album is “AM I DREAMING,” featuring cultural icon Miley Cyrus, which provides an intimate reflection on their careers as LGBTQ+ artists.
Montero is a solid debut album, as it manages to expose painfully personal details about Nas’s life while still maintaining an aura of positivity and light. We can only hope that Lil Nas X continues to be as introspective and joyful throughout the rest of his (hopefully lengthy) career.
