9:44
- ABC News
- May 31, 2019
How 'Old Town Road' changed Lil Nas X's life
Lil Nas X is one of the hottest artists in the world right now.
9:44
But less than a week after the song landed on the Billboard charts, “Old Town Road” got the boot. In a statement to Rolling Stone, Billboard said the track “does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version.”
That decision led to outrage online, with some fans crying discrimination.
“I can't control what people would think. You know people always want to say something,” Hill said. “But … I know what it is.”
The controversy caught the attention of country legend Billy Ray Cyrus.
.@LilNasX Been watching everything going on with OTR. When I got thrown off the charts, Waylon Jennings said to me “Take this as a compliment” means you’re doing something great! Only Outlaws are outlawed. Welcome to the club!
— Billy Ray Cyrus (@billyraycyrus) April 3, 2019
“I just thought, ‘Wait, that's not fair,’” Cyrus told “Nightline.” “Waylon [Jennings] being one of the greatest outlaws in the history of country music, and he said to me ‘the definition of an outlaw is one who has been outlawed.’”
Cyrus said he thought the song “was a smash.”
“When I hear something, I don't necessarily try to define it by what is its musical genre,” he continued. “I say ‘do I relate to that song? Does it feel like my roots?' 'Old Town Road’ was all of me-- it was my past, present and future. It had everything that I'd been raised on my whole life -- banjo, bluegrass and [a] solid country hook.”
Hill said Cyrus is a “cultural icon” and that his collaboration took the song “to a new level. Definitely.”
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/old-town-road-03-gty-jt-190530_hpEmbed_16x11_384.jpg\")
\"Country music is a song that touches people's heart, especially country music fans. If country music fans dig it, then it's country,\" Cyrus explained.
And country fans do love it. The unlikely duo teamed up for a remix of “Old Town Road” for an epic, star-studded music video.
Cyrus said the beauty of the song’s success is “the fans.\"
“It was about people driving the song, not about a critic saying ‘no, this doesn’t fit our rulebook,’” he said.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/old-town-road-02-gty-jt-190530_hpEmbed_3x2_384.jpg\")
“I'm 57 years old and never thought I'd feel anything like this ever again,” Cyrus went on. “I've been a part of a couple of things that were described at the time as a phenomenon, including ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and Hannah Montana. And this song, and this moment, and this movement feels like all of that plus more.”
Cyrus said Hill “doesn’t need any advice” from him, adding, “Think like there is no box. In today's world you don't have to limit yourself to one particular style or genre. Be it all.”
Aswad pointed out that country music has gone through a transformation over the past decade.
“A lot of what's popular in country right now a lot of people 10 years ago would not have considered to be country songs,” he said. “Country has become very rock and roll in a lot of ways. And there's all this pop crossover … so all bets are off.
But not everyone agrees. Last week, after announcing his collaboration with Wrangler, Hill faced more backlash, furthering the debate on what it means to be “country.”
Wrangler tweeted a response to one customer, saying: “As an iconic brand in fashion, we have shown up in music, film and popular culture for decades. Our Western heritage and offering a quality and versatile product for all wearers will always be the very heart of our brand.”
Thanks for your feedback, Ty. As an iconic brand in fashion, we have shown up in music, film and popular culture for decades. Our western heritage and offering a quality and versatile product for all wearers will always be the very heart of our brand.
— Wrangler Jeans (@Wrangler) May 23, 2019
The haters haven’t stopped Hill. Since then, he’s been everywhere. Just this week, Hill surprised a group of elementary school children in Ohio, performed in Boston ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup series and scored the new “Rambo” trailer. “Nightline” was with him and Cyrus when Hill took the stage for the first time ever at the Stagecoach Festival in April.
I love my job. We ended our 5th grade talent show today with the whole school dancing and celebrating...together!! #LanderLove🐾💚 @LanderElem @LilNasX 💃🏽🤠 pic.twitter.com/pzS1id79mu
— Felecia Evans (@EduLeadingLady) May 23, 2019
“Lil Nas X Definitely has special sauce because he decided he wanted it to go viral and he did it,” Hennessy said. “It's not just about making something that you think people will like. It's actually making something that people can like and then making their own because that's what makes them share.”
This month, Hill will be releasing an EP and an album will likely follow.
“I just know they're both going do great and people going to love it,” he said.
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