Country Music, Hip Hop, & Racism - Lil Nas X

So a few weeks ago, there was a controversy when Billboard removed a song from it's country charts called Old Town Road by Lil Nas X. The song was trending and I believe shot up to #5 on the Country Music Chart. The song is a mix of auto-tuned hip hop and country music. As a hip hop fan and fan of music in general, that sh*t is straight banging if I must say so myself. It effortlessly blends the two genres.

Anyway, Billboard decided the song didn't meet their criteria of country music, so they removed the song from their charts. Obviously, some people cried racism with the move.

Billboard Defends Lil Nas X Removal

Original Video. Love Red Dead Redemption...



Lo and behold, Lil Nas X Old Town Road is now the number 1 song in the country on the Billboard Top 100. Country legend Billy Ray Cyrus, stepped up in true hip hop form and lent his vocals for a remix.



Interview with artist. Clearly has country influence...



Figured it would make a good discussion. I won't say it is racism, but lack of understanding musical trends, hip hop, etc.

Haha, my son played this song for me the other day since I listen to both hip hop and country music. He did do well mixing the genres. I don’t have any comment on the removal from Billboard. I don’t pay attention to Billboard anyways.

a reply to: Edumakated

I was very close to making a thread on this a few days ago but decided not to, so thanks for doing it.

This was a beautiful and historic moment for not only COUNTRY music (Oh yes it is), but music in general, and also a big fat middle finger to Billboard. Shame on them.

Music is limitless and knows no boundaries.

Billy Ray is an absolute legend for this.

a reply to: Edumakated

Sounds like a hip hop stunt to try and use horses and call it country. Sticking a flower in your ass doesn't make it a vase, either. Using the race card to promote an inaccurate description, priceless lol.

Cheers - Dave

This is just terrible music. Using the game Red Dead Redemption 2 in that video makes me want to hurl. That's such a great game to be disgraced by this garbage.

originally posted by: bobs_uruncle
a reply to: Edumakated

Sounds like a hip hop stunt to try and use horses and call it country. Sticking a flower in your ass doesn't make it a vase, either. Using the race card to promote an inaccurate description, priceless lol.

Cheers - Dave

Haters going to hate...

Clearly didn't watch his interview... but that's ok.

a reply to: Edumakated

This is not country music

This is pop music, with elements of hip hop and country, but they did the right thing to remove it from the country charts.

It is hard to define music these days, so many genres and sub genres. And who cares about what billboard thinks anyways?
If you enjoy music, youre gotta listen to it, regardsless of what other thinks, and most of the god music you wont hear in the radio anyways.

A quick google search on "what defines country music" will give you this answer

a style and genre of largely string-accompanied American popular music having roots in the folk music of the Southeast and cowboy music of the West, usually vocalized, generally simple in form and harmony, and typidied by romantic or melancholy ballads accompanied by acoustic or electric guitar, banjo, violin, and harmonica.

That is not what i hear

I like it. Look at Taylor Swift. She was about as country as Kim Kardashian.

Country music + hip hop = clip clop?

I see a lot of people hating.

If this doesn't belong on the Country charts (which it does), a lot of other cross-genres songs don't deserve to be on other charts either.

Georgia Florida Line and Taylor Swift have both crossed into hip-hop without being completely hip-hop -- MANY times.

If you don't like the song, just say you don't like it. But to go as far as saying it's not country and deserves to be removed is just straight up close-minded hate.

I bet if you removed Lil Nas from the song and left Billy Ray, none of you would have a problem.

originally posted by: LightSpeedDriver
Country music + hip hop = clip clop?

Hick Hop

Trap Country

Gee Haw Rap

a reply to: Edumakated

If country stations are playing it and getting requests for more, than it counts!



My husband and son love this song. Me, not so much. But it's fun to see them enjoying it!

a reply to: Edumakated

Music is art. Art is subjective. Billboard is trying to make this song objective.

Anytime I deal with art, it is to each their own.

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986

I don't care what billboard or anyone else labels it. It should be pretty clear to everyone it's not country music. I do dislike the song, and I do dislike most country. I just don't hear country music when I listen to this. It sounds like another crappy autotune song with the same crappy "beats".

a reply to: trustmeimdoctor

If it should be clear to everyone, then why did COUNTRY legend Billy Ray himself say it was country and get on the remix?


Music knows no boundaries.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986

Music knows no boundaries.

And, incredibly, music has even been known not just to cross but to to tear down boundaries!

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: trustmeimdoctor

If it should be clear to everyone, then why did COUNTRY legend Billy Ray himself say it was country and get on the remix?


Music knows no boundaries.

Other than Lil Nas X unconventional vocals and drumbeat, it sounds pretty country to me....

One of the things I do love about hip hop though is that we can appreciate the music from different genres and the MCs / Rappers / Producers can still flow over it.

I get that some people just don't like hip hop for whatever reason. I know it goes over the heads of a lot of people.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986

The artist clearly has country influence and if you look at the interview, he is clearly a country music singer. However, you can also hear where he has typical hip hop influence. I mean you can't be a young black male and not pick up some of hip hop.

I'd say he is more country than he is hip hop.

When I first heard the story, I thought maybe it was more hip hop than country... but after actually listening to the song, it is more country than hip hop. Lil Nas X is beyond traditional hip hop artist who have used country themes or samples. For example Outkast has used harmonica samples and riffs in songs, but I'd never say they are country music. Or white rappers like Bubba Sparx.

Lil Nas X successfully blended to two genres beyond the sample imho. He sings but is clearly spitting hip hop bars. The break beat over the country strings and chorus. I really hope to hear more from him.

a reply to: Edumakated

Haha and here I was thinking that Nappy Roots was sort of country. But listening now.. yeah. There's no country music element that I can hear at all.

Still down south dirty