When the 19-year-old American rapper Montero Lamar Hill, aka Lil Nas X, released “Old Town Road” on 3 December 2018, his country-rap fusion track became an instant hit. The 1:53-minute song featured elements from both country music and hip hop, combining deep bass beats with banjo, a southern twang with Auto-Tuned vocals, and lyrics about riding horses with references to driving expensive cars.
The track’s cleverness was displayed by its lyrical juxtaposition. The verses include “Ridin’ on a horse, ha/You can whip your Porsche” and “Cowboy hat from Gucci/Wrangler on my booty”; a country yin and hip hop yang that left listeners excitedly anticipating the next line. Combine all of this with a sick beat and an unbeatable hook, and you have an example of one of the smartest balancing acts in modern music.
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