Skip to main content

In a span of just two short years, Lil Nas X has become one of the hottest new rappers of the past decade and achieved things many artists can only dream of. The “Old Town Road” star has had a fighting spirit instilled in him from a young age and has worked hard to get to where he is now.

Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X poses backstage at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on October 14, 2020 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, CA | Amy Sussman/BBMA2020/Getty Images for dcp

Lil Nas X’s meteoric rise to success

Lil Nas X has been transparent about his life before blowing up with his hit single “Old Town Road.” He was couch surfing with family and friends and had barely any money to his name. He bought the beat to “Old Town Road” for $30 and recorded it at a studio that charged $20 for an hourlong session.

“Old Town Road” ended up selling over 10 million copies worldwide and broke the record for most weeks spent at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He was the most-nominated male artist at the 2020 Grammys as a result and took home two golden gramophones.

In June 2020, after the release of his debut EP 7 and on the last day of Pride Month, Lil Nas X publicly came out as gay. This made him the first-ever artist in history to come out while having a number 1 song.

Lil Nas X
Rapper Lil Nas X | Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images

Lil Nas X has accomplished a lot at a young age

Many of the things Lil Nas X has achieved are things that most artists only dream of. Many Black artists never have their music heard on a large scale, especially Black LGBTQ+ artists.

Lil Nas X is a child of the Internet and has been able to use social media to his advantage. His rap name is taken from the Nicki Minaj stan Twitter account he used to run before he became famous, where he went by “Nas Maraj” (Minaj’s legal last name).

Despite being a Gen Z star, Lil Nas X is already influencing future generations. He performed for children at schools during the “Old Town Road” era. He’s even a children’s book author: in early 2021, he released his illustrated alphabet book C is for Country.

Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X attends the Tom Ford AW/20 Fashion Show at Milk Studios on February 07, 2020 in Los Angeles, California | David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Related

Lil Nas X Is Officially a Published Author

Lil Nas X’s zodiac sign

Lil Nas X was born on April 9, 1999 in the Atlanta suburb of Lithia Springs. Since his breakout in 2019, the “Montero” rapper has earned a record-breaking number 1 single, multiple Platinum-selling songs, and coveted Grammy Awards all before reaching the age of 22.

Lil Nas X was born smack dab in the middle of Aries season, joining the likes of other superstar Aries artists such as Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga. According to AstroTheme, his moon is in Capricorn; because his birth time isn’t public, his rising sign is unknown.