If you think you’ve never heard Ink, we guarantee you that you’re wrong! This GRAMMY-nominated songwriter has already made it onto your playlists with songs like Beyoncé’s ‘16 CARRIAGES,’ Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s ‘luther,’ and Lay Bankz’s ‘Tell Ur Girlfriend.’ But now, she’s proudly stepping onto the stage with her own narratives and voice on her debut EP, BIG BUSKIN’, which proves that Ink is a vital storyteller defining this generation in music. We need music that connects and transforms us more than ever, and she has the perfect pen for the job.
Across 13 songs, Ink throws a moving ‘Hoedown’ that walks us through her love story with music, her views on persistence and tough times, and the passion that’s carried her through life. “They can steal your style, but they can’t steal your story,” she muses on the spoken opener, ‘Inktro,’ over a western-inspired soundscape. At the heart of each song lies Ink’s authenticity and pure, all-encompassing love for the music she makes, especially on emotive tracks like the incredible ‘God’s Been Drinkin’.’ Even the EP title is an ode to her love for her craft – some of her earliest musical pursuits involved busking and learning how to make her storytelling as moving as possible, and the ‘Tony Machine on 42nd’ interlude tells the story of one of those performances.
The hell with all that BS — press play and find out — real music is back!
Ink
We’re ‘Comin’ Back’ from our listening experience with some extra sweet news: we got to ask Ink all about BIG BUSKIN’, writing her truth, and her biggest inspirations! Press play on BIG BUSKIN’ then keep reading to learn more about the project from the musical genius who created it.
Hey Ink, congratulations on the EP release! What has it been like for you to drop it and see how much fans are loving it? It’s been incredible to drop the EP! Finally being able to say it’s out now is surreal.
There are so many thoughtful lyrics on your standout single ‘Sweet Tea,’ with one of our favorites being “we can’t take it back, so really we gotta live again.” Which line from the song are you most proud of? “Yeah, my granny never even cuss ‘til she got Alzheimer’s / Uh, real GOAT, greatest of all timers.”
The ‘Sweet Tea’ music video includes so many sweet home movie clips and throwback moments. What was it like for you to revisit so many memories for the song and video? It was the best part about it. It just took me back down memory lane. It felt so good to be back home and just have the spirit of my family and those that aren’t here anymore still be there to celebrate.
We’re so excited about your debut BIG BUSKIN’ EP! Which song were you most hyped for fans to hear and why? Which tracks are the most meaningful to you? They’re all meaningful to me, but I’m most hyped for fans to hear ‘Sweet Tea’ because they get to hear a little about the fam, and ‘All I Got’ since it really summarizes the EP. Plus all the inkerludes!
Inspired by ‘Turquoise Cowboy,’ which color do you think best matches the energy of BIG BUSKIN’? Turquoise with a little wood grain.
The BIG BUSKIN’ title nods to your own experiences busking around Atlanta, which you’ve described as “resilience in motion.” What’s something you learned during that phase of your musical journey that you’ve taken with you as you’ve grown? The world is a beautiful place, you’ve just gotta choose to see it.
In your recent INKtionary post on Instagram, you listed one of the definitions of BIG BUSKIN’ as “to live loud, global, and unapologetic – outlaw energy with superstar reach.” How do you stay true to yourself and your roots as your star rises? I just carry on the memory of the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met as I go. I take my boots off, get my feet in the grass, and connect to nature.
Alongside your own work, you have writing credits on iconic songs like Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s ‘luther,’ Beyoncé’s ‘TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,’ and Lil Nas X’s ‘STAR WALKIN’!’ How do you approach writing for another artist differently than writing for your own releases, and how do your experiences on those songs inform how you approach your music? Each artist has their own story, so I just see it as me being there to help serve them creatively. It helps me learn new things for my process, as each artist has a different process and story. They each teach me something different.
You told Billboard that you wrote the lyrics to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on flash cards one day after school – as a publication run by fans, we love the passion! Is there a certain song on the album that has most influenced you and your music? I think the whole album – it gives you the sense of creating a body of work. Some artists can make a few great songs, but she really made a great body of work.
From Beyoncé to Shaboozey and Post Malone, country is definitely ‘Comin’ Back’ to the mainstream spotlight lately! What do you feel makes country so moving, especially in a time when we need the magic of music more than ever? The storytelling!
You’ve called yourself “a faucet of creative energy that never runs out” to The Tennessean. When do you feel most inspired, and what inspires you most? Life and the people and places in it make me feel most inspired. I can just open my eyes and there’s a song waiting.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2025/2026? Performing, pulling up, doing shows, and lots of great music. Next year I’ll also be dropping my debut album!
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on? Pull up when you see the spill!
It sounds like BIG BUSKIN’ is just the very beginning, and we can’t wait to see what Ink will spill next! Thank you so much to Ink for answering our questions and pouring so much heart into every song you touch.
Now, honeybees, we have some questions for you! What are your favorite tracks on the BIG BUSKIN’ EP? Who do you hope to hear Ink write with in the future? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! You can also buzz on over to our Reddit community to chat with us.
The Old Town Road rapper, 26, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, posted a video to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, calling his experience “terrifying,” and reassuring fans that he will “be all right.”
“Your girl is gonna be OK, y’all. OK? S—‘s gonna be all right,” he began. “S—‘s gonna be all right. S—. That was f—ing terrifying. That was terrifying.”
“That was a terrifying last four days. But your girl is gonna be alright,” he told his fans.
A screenshot of Lil Nas X’s Instagram Stories.
LilNasX / Instagram
Nas pleaded not guilty in a court appearance Monday to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer, the district attorney’s office said.
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The charges were far more serious than initial reports had indicated, which suggested he was being investigated for a misdemeanour. If convicted, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Nas could face up to five years in state prison.
Lil Nas X released from jail after pleading not guilty to 4 felonies
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The department said he charged at the officers when confronted and was arrested. Police suspected a possible overdose and took him to a hospital, where he spent several hours before being taken to jail. He remained behind bars following his arrest.
The criminal complaint filed in court Monday includes few details about the incident, but says that for each of the three officers, he “did unlawfully use force and violence and inflict an injury” on a person he “reasonably should have known” was a peace officer “engaged in the performance of a duty.”
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After spending three days in jail, Nas was released on US$75,000 bail, conditional on attending drug treatment.
Nas is set to return to court on Sept. 15 for his next pre-trial hearing.
Lil Nas X has spoken out for the first time since his arrest on August 21.
Source: MEGA / Getty
The singer, 26, whose real name Montero Hill, reached out to his fans with a message to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Aug. 26, reassuring followers that he will “be alright” amid his recent legal troubles.
“Your girl is gonna be okay, boo. Okay? S—’s gonna be all right,” he said in the video. “S—’s gonna be all right. S—. That was f—–g terrifying. That was terrifying. That was a terrifying last four days. But your girl is gonna be all right.”
Lil Nas X was arrested on Aug. 21 after police responded to reports of the star allegedly taking a naked stroll along Ventura Blvd Once authorities arrived, he allegedly used “force and violence [to] inflict an injury” upon three different officers, per a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.
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The complaint also says that the musician “did unlawfully attempt by means of threats and violence to deter and prevent” a fourth officer “from performing a duty imposed upon such officer by law.” The artist pleaded not guilty to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer in court on Aug. 25. He waived his arraignment, and his bail was set at $75,000.
A judge also ordered the star to attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings per week, but his family is fighting back against reports of drug use. While reports indicated that Lil Nas X had been hospitalized for a drug overdose, his father, Robert Stafford, told reporters that his son “absolutely” did “not” take illegal drugs. A spokesperson for the LAPD previously confirmed to the outlet that the singer was taken to the hospital for treatment after his arrest.
While speaking with reporters outside the courthouse, the Grammy winner’s father said his son is “very remorseful for what happened.”
“He’s going to get the help that he needs and just keep him in your prayers,” Stafford said. “Give him the same grace and mercy that God gives everyone.”
Lil Nas X could face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.
The Old Town Road rapper, 26, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, pleaded not guilty in a court appearance Monday to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer, the district attorney’s office said.
The charges were far more serious than initial reports that he was being investigated for a misdemeanour, and, with convictions, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Nas could face up to five years in state prison.
Rapper Lil Nas X looks on at the conclusion of his arraignment at Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 25, 2025 in Van Nuys, Calif.
Frederic J. Brown-Pool/Getty Images
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said officers found Nas walking naked on Ventura Boulevard shortly before 6 a.m. local time on Thursday.
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The department said he charged at the officers when confronted and was arrested. Police suspected a possible overdose and took him to a hospital, where he spent several hours before being taken to jail. He remained behind bars following his arrest.
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The criminal complaint filed in court Monday includes few details about the incident, but says that for each of the three officers, he “did unlawfully use force and violence and inflict an injury” on a person he “reasonably should have known” was a peace officer “engaged in the performance of a duty.”
Lil Nas X arrested for battery of a police officer
“Attacking police officers is more than just a crime against those individuals but a direct threat to public safety,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a press release. “Anyone who assaults law enforcement will face serious consequences, no matter who they are or how famous they may be.”
Robert Stafford told reporters that Nas is “very remorseful for what happened.”
“He’s going to get the help that he needs and just keep him in your prayers,” Stafford said on Monday. “Give him the same grace and mercy that God gives everyone.”
He added that his son is “in good spirits” and that he is “doing great mentally.”
“We shed tears, we shed laughter, but he’s in great spirits. He’s gonna be great,” Stafford said.
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Nas is set to return to court on Sept. 15 for his next pre-trial hearing.
In 2019, the rapper rose to fame after his breakthrough single, Old Town Road, became a viral hit.
Nas is set to release his second studio album, Dreamboy, later this year.
Lil Nas X faces years of jail time for felony charges of attacking police after he was spotted walking through L.A. wearing nothing but cowboy boots and rapping Nicki Minaj’s “Monster.”
Source: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty
L.A. Superior Court records state prosecutors charged the “Old Town Road” rapper with three counts of battery against a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. According to The Daily Mail, he could face up to 12 years in prison for the alleged assaults.
The 26-year-old, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, spent the weekend in jail following his arrest and hospitalization for a suspected overdose early Thursday morning.
The bizarre behavior caught on camera in several viral clips prompted witnesses to call the police. Multiple people spotted the Grammy winner strutting down the street like a fashion show runway, singing, and rambling about a “party.”
When police responded to reports of an undressed and distressed man acting erratically, Lil Nas X allegedly did not cooperate. The LAPD officers claim that he “charged” and “swung” at them when they confronted him. The alleged altercation resulted in three cops reporting injuries and a felony charge for each of them.
Between Lil Nas X’s concerning outbursts, criminal case, and strange posts online, fans have flooded social media to #PrayforMontero.
He remains in custody awaiting an arraignment later Monday, when Judge Sarah Ellenberg in Van Nuys will determine bail.
Rapper Lil Nas X was charged with four felonies on Monday after police say he charged at them when they confronted him for walking naked down a Los Angeles street last week.
Prosecutors charged the Old Town Road rapper, 26, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, with three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one felony count of resisting an executive officer, the District Attorney’s office said.
He was initially booked on suspicion of misdemeanour obstructing an officer on Aug. 22.
Nas is set to be arraigned later Monday and his representatives have not officially commented following the reports last week.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said officers found Nas walking naked on Ventura Boulevard, shortly before 6 a.m. local time on Friday.
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They said he charged at the officers when confronted and was arrested. Police suspected a possible overdose and took him to a hospital where he spent several hours before being taken to jail, where he has remained since his arrest.
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Someone driving by Nas recorded him, while he repeatedly pointed at the camera and at one point placed an orange traffic cone on his head.
“Hey, don’t be late to the party tonight,” Nas tells the person behind the camera. “You know where it’s at.”
“Didn’t I tell you to put the phone down?” he asks the person. “Uh-oh, somebody’s going to have to pay for that!”
‘Old Town Road’ makes music history with Billboard Hot 100 reign
Nas goes on to say that it’s going to be “a beautiful sunrise” and threatens to throw the person’s phone.
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“I’m going to throw it far away so you never see it again. I don’t like phones,” he says in the video.
According to TMZ, who first reported the incident, several people in the area had reported seeing “a naked man” walking in the road. When the LAPD officers reportedly responded, they found Nas walking down the middle of the road.
In 2019, the rapper rose to fame after his breakthrough single, Old Town Road, became a viral hit.
Nas is set to release his upcoming second studio album, Dreamboy, later this year.
Lil Nas X‘s troubles continue as he spends the weekend in jail following his undressed and distressed arrest in nothing but underwear and matching cowboy boots. As fans point to red flags leading up to the incident, his family allegedly plans to hold an intervention.
According to Daily Mail UK, it’ll be a while longer before he can return home. Due to the specific charge against him, Lil Nas X will remain in jail until he can face a judge. Unfortunately, that means a mandatory extended stay in custody until Monday at the earliest.
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“With the charge 69 (a) PC, the arrestee (Hill) cannot be cited out. It is mandatory that he appears before a judge before he is released. This will happen on Monday,” Officer Cervantes said.
The “Industry Baby” rapper is accused of “attempting to deter or stop an executive officer from performing any duty imposed upon the officer by law or knowingly resisting by the use of force or violence, the officer, in the performance of his or her duty.”
Viral video captured Lil Nas X strutting down Ventura Boulevard, posing, singing and talking about a party. Some clips also show him walking around completely naked. After reports of his erratic behavior, LAPD intervened shortly before 6 am. The Grammy winner allegedly charged and swung at the responding officers, who were uninjured.
At the court hearing Monday, the judge will set his bail.
Read more about fan reactions and how Lil Nas X’s family allegedly responded to his arrest after the flip!
Lil Nas X, the “Old Town Road” singer, has run into trouble on a Los Angeles street. After TMZ published footage of him on an early morning stroll in underwear and cowboy boots on August 21, law enforcement confirmed that the singer and rapper, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, had been arrested and briefly taken to a hospital that same day. Hill was arrested while hospitalized and will spend the weekend in custody. While many fans are concerned, some are convinced that this is somehow part of a publicity stunt to promote new music.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of a nearly naked man wandering around on Ventura Boulevard just before 6 a.m. on August 21. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department inmate records confirm that Hill is the person in question and is being held in the Valley Jail in Van Nuys, CNN reports. A law enforcement source close to the investigation told NBC News that Hill charged at officers and punched one in the face two times before he was ultimately arrested for battery on a police officer.
He was transported to a local hospital for a “possible overdose,” according to police. Officers didn’t know whether Hill was on any substances or in mental distress at the time of the altercation, NBC’s law enforcement source said. Hill was placed under arrest while in the hospital, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He is now at Valley Jail in Van Nuys.
Representatives for the LAPD told THR Friday that Lil Nas X will remain in custody through the weekend. “The arrestee (Hill) cannot be cited out,” they wrote in an email. “It is mandatory that he appear before a judge before he is released. This will happen on Monday.”
TMZ Hip Hop published footage of Hill wearing white underwear and a pair of cowboy boots while walking down the street at 4 a.m. The video appeared to be taken by the driver of a car. “Hey, don’t be late to the party tonight,” Hill told the cameraperson. When asked for a location, he replied, “You know where it’s at” and walked off while humming. At other points in the 102-second video, Hill asked the cameraperson to stop filming, placed an orange traffic cone on his head, and posed in the middle of the street.
Yes. Although many commenters have expressed concern about Hill’s well-being, some have suggested this is just his latest eyebrow-raising way of promoting upcoming music. Nike sued him in 2021 over Satan shoes that he promoted as part of the rollout for his single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” Later that year, he posted a pregnancy photo shoot as his way of revealing that he was expecting his debut album.
During the week of his arrest, Hill has been on an Instagram posting spree, with several recent posts teasingsnippets of new music, including an unreleased collab with Lil Jon. “OH NO sHES GONE MAD! CRAZY I TELL U! 😭🙏🏾😈🫦🫶🏾❤️,” he captioned an August 19 selfie. For now, the internet can’t seem to reach a consensus on whether to take him seriously.
Lil Nas X has been making headlines in the past two days. The “Old Town Road” rapper was arrested in Los Angeles, Calif., on suspicion of battery on a police officer.
TMZ reported that the Lil Nas X, real name Montero Lamar Hill, was arrested on the early morning of Thursday, Aug. 22 after he was seen wandering around in his underwear. “He was transported to a local hospital for a possible overdose and placed under arrest for battery on a police officer,” the Los Angeles Police Department said. He is currently awaiting bail, and the gossip site reported that he would have to wait until Aug. 25 to be released from jail.
Page Six reported that he admitted he’s not doing well in an Instagram story posted months before the incident, adding that the “last few years” had been “pretty difficult.” “I’m just now arriving to this place of feeling confidence in myself and what I’m doing, and I’m trying to make sure I put intention towards my music and my vision and the creativity of it all,” the 26-year-old explained in a selfie-style video in February, insisting that he was not trying to be “flaky” about his career.
What is Lil Nas X’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lil Nas X’s net worth is estimated to be $9 million in 2025. “Old Town Road” provided a lucrative pathway for the artist.
Lil Nas X initially only paid producer YoungKio $30 for the beat that would eventually become “Old Town Road.” The beat samples “34 Ghosts IV” by Nine Inch Nails, who take a share of the $14 million earnings that the song earned. “Luckily, Trent Reznor [and Atticus Ross] approved of the sample because if he didn’t, I don’t know where I would be right now,” Lil Nas told Variety. “I don’t know if they have 50 percent, but they get a good [size] share of the royalties, which they 100 percent deserve. I mean, the song wouldn’t be here without them. I was, like, ‘I don’t care if he takes 99 percent of the royalties—just let the song stay out.’ Because I can build off it, you know?”
The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Charts and simultaneously charted on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in March 2019. His first studio album Montero had two songs “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” and “Industry Baby” that topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
His second studio album Dreamboy is slated to be released later this year.
Rapper Lil Nas X has reportedly been hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering a possible overdose.
In a video shared by TMZ, the Old Town Road rapper, 26, was seen in his underwear and cowboy boots, roaming along Ventura Boulevard in the Studio City neighbourhood around 4 a.m. local time on Thursday.
Someone driving by Nas, born Montero Hill, recorded him, while he repeatedly pointed at the camera and at one point, placed an orange traffic cone on his head.
“Hey, don’t be late to the party tonight,” Nas tells the person behind the camera. “You know where it’s at.”
“Didn’t I tell you to put the phone down?” he asks the person. “Uh-oh, somebody’s going to have to pay for that!”
Nas goes on to say that it’s going to be “a beautiful sunrise” and threatens to throw the person’s phone.
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“I’m going to throw it far away so you never see it again. I don’t like phones,” he says in the video.
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According to the TMZ, several people in the area had reported seeing “a naked man” walking in the road. When the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers reportedly responded, they found Nas walking down the middle of the road.
The Industry Baby rapper charged at police, who put him in handcuffs and told paramedics that Nas might have experienced a possible overdose, LAPD told a local NBC news affiliate. He was then transported to a nearby hospital.
LAPD sources told the NBC affiliate that the 26-year-old artist is expected to be booked on suspicion of misdemeanour battery on a police officer.
‘Old Town Road’ makes music history with Billboard Hot 100 reign
Nas has not addressed the incident since his hospitalization and his representatives have not made an official comment on the reports.
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The latest incident follows a separate health scare Nas faced earlier this year.
In April, the That’s What I Want singer revealed that he had been hospitalized with partial facial paralysis, which temporarily affected the movement on the right side of his face. He posted an Instagram video of himself from the hospital bed, telling his followers that he “lost control” of movement in his face.
“This is me doing a full smile by the way,” he said in the video. “I can’t even laugh right, bro.”
The Grammy-winning rapper told his fans that he was OK, adding, “stop being sad for me!”
In 2019, the rapper rose to fame after his breakthrough single, Old Town Road, became a viral hit.
Nas is set to release his upcoming second studio album, Dreamboy, later this year.
As the C,XOXO rollout keeps on truckin’, Camila Cabello continues to pull out the stops (one can’t necessarily say “all the stops”) by offering up yet another single with a feature on it. This time, Lil Nas X subs in where Playboi Carti was on “I Luv It.” The potentially ominous-sounding single, “He Knows,” is accordingly much more flirtatious and tongue-in-cheek. After all, this is “Montero” we’re talking about, the man who performs nude choreo in a prison setting, co-designs Satan shoes and gives lap dances to the devil. Of course things are going to be, shall we say, mischievous when he’s involved. And the video for “He Knows” proves no exception to the Lil Nas X rule.
With an opening that samples from Ojerime’s 2020 song, “Give It Up 2 Me” (which itself sounds like a sample of The Bucketheads’ ‘The Bomb! [These Sounds Fall Into My Mind]”), the playful tone of “He Knows” is made immediately apparent. Yet, more than just playful (and often taunting), the song radiates a sweltering quality that’s ripe for the dance floor. As such, it’s no surprise that Cabello takes us to that very location, trading out the “chillin’ at home” and occasional outdoor setting in “I Luv It” for a club one in “He Knows.” Not just any club either, but one that looks as though it was plucked straight out of the 00s (Lindsay Lohan’s “Rumors” video comes to mind). As Cabello descends a staircase and casually saunters into the fray with her crew in tow, she sizes up the clientele, eventually casting her discerning glance on one “boo” in particular as she takes a shot with her friends.
Director Onda then immediately cuts to the two of them writhing against each other on the dance floor as the lyrics, “She’s a provocateur/Dance floor connoisseur/Shit week, so Friday for sure/Tell the girls we’re takin’ a detour/Give him hell, yeah/Give these boys hell, yeah/Shе does it well, ah-yeah/I do it mysеlf, ah-yeah” punctuate the hyper-sexual scene. In the next moment, Cabello finds herself on the center of the floor as several backup dancers behind her join in to match the choreo she serves for the verse, “Cigarette, candy necklace on my hips/Butterfly that’s on my wrist/Put your hands on me like this.”
If those lyrics sound filled with Lana Del Rey-inspired keywords and imagery, it’s probably no coincidence that Cabello shoved her way onto the Coachella main stage to join LDR in a rendition of “I Luv It” during the latter’s headlining performance in April. Indeed, it’s a shame “He Knows” wasn’t out at the time, as it’s a single that’s far more within Del Rey’s wheelhouse, complete with the chorus: “I think he knows (make me lose my mind)/When I play with him like that/When I say it to him like that/Have my way with him like that/I think he knows (make me lose my mind)…/That he’s comin’ right back.” Dripping with such “daddy” vibes, it would have made for a much less awkward onstage collaboration.
In any case, Lil Nas X is also well-suited to the sentiments as he appears on the scene with vampiric blue eyes aglow in the darkness of the club. Using those eyes to zero in on Cabello dancing with the man she thinks she has “wrapped around [her] pinky finger,” Lil Nas X interrupts their sexual grinding to, er, insert himself. He then delivers the lascivious lyrics, “He drippin’ down on my bustier like ice cream/While Ashanti playin’ in the AMG/Let it rain on me/He fuckin’ up my headboard, so I’m on my knees like, ‘Dear Lord, please pray for me’/Save the grace for me.” Around the same time, a very deliberate shot of a mannequin dressed exactly like the man both CC and LNX are pursuing is revealed, perched in an industrial-looking space. One in which Cabello and Lil Nas X appear in individually before ending up there together.
Before that moment, however, Cabello, after being bested by LNX, turns on her heel and stalks off in angered disbelief. Not just over the fact that Lil Nas X could pussy block her so rudely, but that she didn’t account for the potential bisexuality of this “little snack.” (Or Lil Nas X is just that alluring to all genders, regardless of their usual sexual preferences.) Back in the “secret part” of the club where the mannequin is, Cabello and LNX get into a catfight that ends up knocking over the “model” and dislodging one of its arms. Cabello turns her head toward it and shouts, “Oh my god, he’s—” Lil Nas X cuts in, “He’s bald?” Cabello sighs exasperatedly and corrects, “He’s plastic.” (To be fair, so are most people in Miami.) Lil Nas is still hung up on the bald thing, replying, “But he’s also bald.” Realizing the man they were fighting for wasn’t actually that “fire,” the two then join forces on the floor and in the weird alternate dimension room. The dance scenes get trippier and blurrier before we finally see them outside together at the valet stand.
As they wait, Lil Nas X declares, “Let’s promise to never fight over a boy again.” “Pinky promise?” Cabello asks. “Pinky promise,” LNX assures. But you can’t trust no twink not to pussy block again and again, nor, for that matter, someone as “ho is life” as Cabello’s “alter ego,” “C.” This much is confirmed when the same guy (as emphasized by his signature jacket) they were fighting over appears next to them to wait for his own car. The two both flash flirty lookie-loos at him as they bite down on the very pinkies they promised not to betray each other with to the point where blood is pouring out of their mouths. So much for friendship solidarity. And yes, it would seem Cabello is making a larger statement about how much harder it is for women “these days” to lock down a man (Cabello’s supposedly straight ex, Shawn Mendes, comes to mind), what with sexual fluidity being increasingly and endlessly chic.
Or, as Lil Nas X, warns, “On the real, I’ma take his soul (all that)/I’ma take him from his hoes (okay)/On the real, I think he knows.” Thus, Cabello’s intended “I’m in control,” empowered statement for “He Knows” is totally undermined by what LNX contributes to it sonically and visually.
Lil Nas X is here for Beyoncé and Shaboozey making their mark in country music! But he reportedly wishes he could’ve had the same opportunity. The ‘Old Town Road’ artist shared these sentiments in a recently released BBC interview.
Five years after dropping ‘Old Town Road,’ the song remains Lil Nas X’s most memorable hit. To this day, the remix featuring Bill Ray Cyrus is still the longest-running number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, with 19 weeks reigning, per Business Insider.
The song’s rap elements caused chaotic conversations back in 2019, and Billboard even removed it from the country charts because it didn’t “embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current form.”
Lil Nas X told BBC he’s “happy” for Beyoncé and Shaboozey’s success in the country genre but wishes he experienced the same.
“…I wish this would have happened for me. I wasn’t even able to experience this,” Nas X said.
As for reverting to country music only, Lil Nas X revealed he’s been testing out relevant sounds in the last few years. However, he added that he wants to feel “connected” and “not force it.”
It’s worth noting that following the release of ‘Old Town Road,’ Lil Nas X made a hard pivot regarding his public image and sound. His seemingly Devil-inspired graphics and lyrics, especially in his album ‘Montero,’ and promotional stunts have caused many controversial takes in the last few years.
Context On Beyoncé & Shaboozey’s In The Country Space
As previously reported, Bey has been making history in the genre ahead and following the release of ‘Cowboy Carter.’ Though the album has country influence, the superstar previously clarified that it’s a “Beyoncé album” rather than simply a country one.
“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work,” Queen Bey said.
Still, the album earned her the honor of being the first Black woman to come in at No.1 on Billboard’s Top County Albums chart, per CNN. She also topped the Billboard 200 Albums chart for the eighth time in her career.
Before the album’s release in February, the single ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ earned Bey her first No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
As for Shaboozey, he’s a Black country, hip-hop artist who’s all the rave on social media right now! His latest single, ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy),’ recently peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 11. In April, he earned the No. 1 slot on the Emerging Artists chart because of his single.
His album, ‘Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going’, is reportedly set to drop on May 31.
Outside of this personal hit, Shaboozey also caught a lil’ viral boost following the release of ‘Cowboy Carter.’ He is featured on two of Beyoncé’s songs, ‘Spaghettii’ and ‘Sweet *Honey* Buckiin,’ which peaked at spots No. 31 and 61 on the Hot 100 chart, respectively, in April.
It is an increasingly “grand tradition” in the genre of songwriting. Not to mention a rite of passage for any major pop star who stirs up enough controversy. That tradition being to “clapback” at the faceless blob known as “The Critics” (though some are simply trying to treat art with the seriousness it should be imbued with—but try telling that to a stan, or a celebrity as convinced of her perfection as Lana Del Rey). With Ariana Grande’s lead single from Eternal Sunshine, “yes, and?,” she revives this grand tradition with the help of the inspiration that came from being, let’s just say it, a homewrecker (a song title that’s already been used, to memorable effect, by Marina and the Diamonds [now MARINA], and appears on the list below). Repurposing the narrative to her benefit with a song that takes ownership of loving a certain babyface ginger dick, Ethan Slater. Best known, that’s right, for his portrayal of SpongeBob SquarePants in the musical of the same name (Grande always has a fetish for the wiry, slightly gay types).
While “yes, and?” can’t quite surpass a track like Madonna’s “Human Nature” in terms of its stinging qualities against the critics (e.g., “I’m not your bitch/Don’t hang your shit on me”), it’s definitely become instantly “up there” among the ranks of iconic clapbacks in song form. Below are a few other noteworthy ones from the past few decades, in no particular order.
“shut up” by Ariana Grande:Obviously no stranger to criticism by the time 2020’s Positions rolled around, it was fitting that Grande should kick off that album with the saucy “shut up.” A clear message to critics, tabloid headlines and online trolls alike, Grande’s directive was simple: “You know you sound so dumb (so dumb, so dumb, so dumb)/So maybe you should shut up/Yeah maybe you should shut up.” Elsewhere, she points out that those who tend to criticize tend to have the most time on their hands and are also plenty criticizable themselves. Thus, she adds, “How you been spendin’ you time?/How you be usin’ your tongue?/You be so worried ‘bout mine/Can’t even get yourself none.” That line about “using one’s tongue” also foreshadowed the lyric from “yes, and?” that goes, “My tongue is sacred/I speak upon what I like.” Because, apparently, it’s only okay when Ari does that, not critics.
“Without Me” by Eminem: Released as the lead single from Eminem’s fourth album, The Eminem Show, “Without Me” was a sequel, of sorts, to “The Real Slim Shady” from 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP. By 2002, when The Eminem Show came out, Eminem was, even more than Grande, extremely well-versed in being caught in the melee of critics’ and politicians’ contempt. Not to mention the fellow celebrities/public figures Eminem was wont to name-check in his songs. In “Without Me,” that includes Dick and Lynne Cheney, Elvis Presley, Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC, Limp Bizkit, Moby and Obie Trice (though Obie is only mentioned in reference to “stomping” on Moby). More than anything, however, Eminem’s intent is to remind all of his detractors how “empty” it would feel without him in the music industry. Hence, the earworm of a chorus, “Now, this looks like a job for me/So everybody, just follow me/‘Cause we need a little controversy/‘Cause it feels so empty without me.” The accompanying video portraying Eminem as a superhero rather than a villain only added to the efficacy of his jibe at critics.
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Sinead O’Connor: Although “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” the second single from I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, is about many things, one of its most fundamental verses is peak “clapback at the critics,” of which there were already many—especially in conservative Catholic Ireland—at the time of O’Connor’s second record release. The verse in question goes: “There’s millions of people/Who offer advice and say how I should be/But they’re twisted and they will never be/Any influence on me/But you will always be/You will always be.” In this way, O’Connor insists that the public perception or criticism of her will never matter—only the opinion and viewpoint of the one she truly loves (at that time, producer John Reynolds) will. The video for the song also heightens the notion of O’Connor continuing to perform however she wants to and say whatever she wants to as its entire premise is just her dancing and singing onstage in front of an expectedly judgmental crowd.
“Human Nature” by Madonna: The occasional Sinead adversary, Madonna, brought listeners the inarguable mack daddy of all clapback songs in 1994, with the release of Bedtime Stories (still among one of Madonna’s most underrated records). A direct reference to her treatment and the general slut-shaming that occurred during her Sex book and Erotica era, Madonna wanted to remind critics that she may have forgiven, but she didn’t forget. As the fourth and final single from the album, “Human Nature” differed from the previous singles (including “Secret,” “Take A Bow” and “Bedtime Story”) in that it deliberately sought to remind listeners and critics alike that, despite presenting a “softer side” for this record, the defiant, devil-may-care Madonna was still there. Ready to pounce—and in a black latex bodysuit, too. For just as iconic as the song itself was the Jean-Baptiste Mondino-directed video, awash in S&M aesthetics inspired by Eric Stanton. As Madonna herself said of the track, “The song is about, um, basically saying, ‘Don’t put me in a box, don’t pin me down, don’t tell me what I can and can’t say and it’s about breaking out of restraints.” The restraints that critics have, so often, foolishly tried to place on Madonna.
“Like It Or Not” by Madonna: By 2005, Madonna had more than just the usual critics on her back. After turning forty-seven, Madonna kept pushing the so-called limits of pop stardom by daring to keep not only releasing records and performing live, but still dressing “too scantily” “for her age.” Complete with the leotards and fishnets that characterized her Confessions on a Dance Floor period. Fittingly, “Like It Or Not” served as the finale to the record, with Madonna promising her detractors, “This is who I am/You can like it or not/You can love me or leave me/‘Cause I’m never gonna stop.” Turns out, she might have been directing those comments at Guy Ritchie as well.
“Vulgar” by Sam Smith and Madonna: In case you couldn’t tell by now, Madonna is not just the Queen of Pop but clearly the Queen of the Clapback—as further evidenced by this modern update to the content and attitude of “Human Nature.” Sam Smith and Madonna came together for this song after the latter’s condemnation for her appearance (too obviously riddled with plastic surgery—that was the usual critique) at the 2023 Grammys and after Smith, too, was criticized for his increasingly “fat” and “effete” appearance during the Gloria album rollout and the according visuals that came with it (including the video for “Unholy”—during which Smith is dressed in some very Madonna-as-Dita attire). Teaming up to hit back at those who would try to keep them down (even though Madonna has far more experience with that than Smith), the duo triumphantly announces, “Got nothing left to prove/You know you’re beautiful when they call you/Vulgar/I do what I wanna/I go when I gotta/I’m sexy, I’m free and I feel, uh/Vulgar.”
“Your Early Stuff” by Pet Shop Boys: The Madonna-adjacent (in terms of gay fanbase, musical stylings and coming up in the 80s) Pet Shop Boys also know a thing or two about being critiqued. Especially when it comes to the main criticism being that they’ve been around “too long.” As though an artist should simply pack it in because some arcane alarm clock goes off in their head about being “too old” to continue when, the reality is, true artists keep creating art until the day they die. Featured on 2012’s Elysium (the duo’s eleventh album), Neil Tennant had no trouble writing the song as, per his own words, “Every single line in that song, every single thing has been said to me.” This includes such backhanded “compliments” as, “You’ve been around but you don’t look too rough/And I still quite like some of your early stuff/It’s bad in a good way, if you know what I mean/The sound of those old machines” and “Those old videos look pretty funny/What’s in it for you now, need the money?/They say that management never used to pay/Honestly, you were ripped off back in the day.” Unlike the other songs on this list, “Your Early Stuff” is perhaps most unique for stemming directly from the criticisms of the common people, as opposed to more ivory tower-y, “legitimate” critics.
“URL Badman” by Lily Allen: Another British addition to the list, this still too-untreasured gem from Lily Allen’s equally untreasured Sheezus record, “URL Badman” is Allen at her most delightfully snarky (which is saying something, as she she’s quite gifted with snark). Taking little boys who write for the likes of Complex and Vice (RIP, but that’s karma) to task, Allen speaks from the myopic perspective of the URL Badman in question, declaring, “It’s not for me, it must be wrong/I could ignore it and move on/But I’m a broadband champion/A URL badman,” also adding, “And if you’re tryna call it art/I’ll have to take it all apart/I got a high-brow game plan/A URL badman/I’m a U-R-L-B-A-D-M-A-N with no empathy.” This speaking to the crux of how musicians feel about critics in general.
“Attention” by Doja Cat: Released as the lead single from Scarlet, Doja Cat’s mountains of controversy had piled up significantly by 2023, chief among them being her blithe defense of dating a white supremacist/sexual abuser and her venomous attack against her own fanbase, who she told to “get a job”—the usual dig made by people who think paid time for unsatisfying labor is supposed to make you a more worthwhile person on this planet (hence, “Billie Eilish Is A Jobist”). “Attention” paired well with this rash of events, with Doja Cat creepily talking about some invisible monster (perhaps what Lady Gaga would call “the fame monster” inside of her) that needs the attention, not her. It’s a very, “That wasn’t me, that was Patricia” defense, and maybe “Scarlet” is the easier part of herself to blame for needing her ego to be fed. Nonetheless, she still demands of the critics, “Look at me, look at me, you lookin’?” later mocking them with the verse, “I readed all the comments sayin’, ‘D, I’m really shooketh,’ ‘D, you need to see a therapist, is you lookin’?’/Yes, the one I got, they really are the best/Now I feel like I can see you bitches is depressed/I am not afraid to finally say shit with my chest.” Obviously, that last line sounds familiar thanks to appearing in the chorus of Grande’s “yes, and?” when she urges, “Yes, and?/Say that shit with your chest.” In another moment of skewering the critics, Doja Cat balks, “Talk your shit about me, I can easily disprove it, it’s stupid/You follow me, but you don’t really care about the music.”
“Taco Truck x VB” by Lana Del Rey: Lana Del Rey has often felt similarly. And, like Sinead O’Connor’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” it’s one verse in particular that makes Del Rey’s lengthy “Taco Truck x VB” (the “VB” being an abbreviation for a previously unreleased version of Norman Fucking Rockwell’s “Venice Bitch”) stand out as a clapback track. The one that shrugs, “Spin it till you whip it into white cream, baby/Print it into black and white pages don’t faze me/Before you talk, let me stop what you’re saying/I know, I know, I know that you hate me.” And just like that, Del Rey dismisses all responsibility for dubious behavior….like wearing a Native American headdress, posing a non sequitur “question for the culture,” posting unblurred-out videos of black and brown protesters/looters during the BLM of summer 2020 or insisting she’s not racist because she’s dated plenty of rappers (on a side note: no one knows who she might be talking about apart from white “rapper” G-Eazy).
“Homewrecker” by Marina and the Diamonds: Even if Marina Diamandis a.k.a. Marina and the Diamonds a.k.a. MARINA is singing from the perspective of her alter ego, Electra Heart, 2012’s “Homewrecker” is still plenty viable as a clapback song. And it definitely ties into Ariana Grande’s overarching theme on “yes, and?,” which is a direct addressment of the critics who have called her, that’s right, homewrecker. Opening with the tongue-in-cheek lyrics, “Every boyfriend is the one/Until otherwise proven…/And love it never happens like you think it really should,” MARINA paints the picture of a woman who won’t be torn down by the slut-shaming insults lobbied against her. Besides, as she announces (in the spirit of Holly Golightly), “And I don’t belong to anyone/They call me homewrecker, homewrecker.” She gets even cheekier when she adds, “I broke a million hearts just for fun” and “I guess you could say that my life’s a mess/But I’m still lookin’ pretty in this dress.” This latter line reminding one of Grande’s lyric on “we can’t be friends (wait for your love),” “You got me misunderstood/But at least I look this good.”
“Piece of Me” by Britney Spears: No stranger to being called a homewrecker herself after getting together with Kevin Federline in 2004, when Shar Jackson was pregnant with his second child, Spears was already jaded about critical lambastings by 2007. And “Piece of Me” was the only appropriate response to all the scrutiny (especially after Spears was reamed for her performance of “Gimme More” at the 2007 VMAs). Thus, she unleashed it as the second single from Blackout. Having endured the critical lashings of her every move, 2007 was also the year that Spears famously shaved her head at a Tarzana salon, providing plenty of grist for the tabloid mill. But to her endlessly stalking paparazzi and the various critics, Spears roared back, “You want a piece of me?/I’m Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous/I’m Mrs. Oh My God That Britney’s Shameless/I’m Mrs. Extra! Extra! This Just In!/You want a piece of me/I’m Mrs. She’s Too Big Now She’s Too Thin.” So apropos to her entire existence in the spotlight, Spears’ Vegas residency would end up being called that as well—a heartbreaking choice considering how many pieces her family took of her to make her endure that ceaseless run of performances.
“Rumors” by Lindsay Lohan: Inarguably Lindsay Lohan’s only solid contribution to the music business, “Rumors” embodies the apex of 00s tabloid culture, awash in all the language of voyeurism (“I can see that you’re watchin’ me/And you’re probably gonna write what you didn’t see”). And Lohan made the mistake of releasing it slightly before she would really be turned into a tabloid/late night talk show joke. This stemming from her overt dependency on drugs and alcohol at a time when a movie titled Herbie: Fully Loaded was going to come out. Cue all the obvious jibes. If only “Rumors” had been released just a year later to secure maximum impact as a defense for her clubbing/party girl behavior. Even so, it remains what RuPaul would call safe as part of the clapback canon.
“Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow: In 2021, Lil Nas X came under fire by Nike for selling a limited run of Satan Shoes featuring the famous swoosh logo with the help of MSCHF, an art collective based in Brooklyn. Nike sued for trademark infringement, prompting Lil Nas X to create quite the tailored concept for the premise of the “Industry Baby” video (with the title sardonically alluding to the insult “industry plant”). Incidentally, it was directed by Christian Breslauer, who would also go on to direct Grande’s “yes, and?” video. But Lil Nas X wasn’t just rebelling against the lawsuit, but all of his haters in general, rapping, “You was never really rooting for me anyway/When I’m back up at the top, I wanna hear you say/‘He don’t run from nothin’, dog’/Get your soldiers, tell ’em that the break is over.” And while co-production from Ye (a.k.a. Kanye West) has left some taint on the track, it still packs a punch when it comes to walloping the critics.
“Mean” by Taylor Swift: Probably the most flaccid of the clapback tracks on this list, “Mean” was a direct response to music critic Bob Lefsetz, who reviewed Taylor Swift’s 2010 performance at the Grammys less than favorably. Among some of his more scathing assessments about her off-key performance (made all the more noticeable because she had joined Stevie Nicks onstage) was that she full-stop “can’t sing” and that she had “destroyed her career overnight.” Nostradamus this man is not. But his words clearly stung enough for Swift to include an angry little girl clapback (something that “Look What You Made Me Do” would perfect) on 2010’s Speak Now, released nine months after she performed at the Grammys in January. Which means she found the time to tack “Mean” onto the record for optimal impact. Even so, Lefsetz would rightly note later of the rumors that it was about him and his review, “If this song is really about me, I wish it were better.”
“Not My Responsibility” and “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish: The subject of frequent scrutiny, Billie Eilish already has two clapback at the critics songs under her belt and she’s only twenty-two years old. The first “song,” “Not My Responsibility,” wouldn’t really become a song until it appeared on her sophomore album, Happier Than Ever, in 2021. Originally created as a short film interlude for her Where Do We Go? World Tour, the song came at a time when Eilish was being constantly called out for being, let’s say, the epitome of a twenty-first century sexless pop star. A direct attack on body- and slut-shaming, Eilish softly states, “I feel you watching always/And nothing I do goes unseen/So while I feel your stares/Your disapproval/Or your sigh of relief/If I lived by them/I’d never be able to move.” This more modern commentary on what criticism in the age of social media can do extends not just to critics, but the legions of online commentators as well. A legion that Eilish also acknowledges on “Therefore I Am,” which was released later in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, ergo Eilish’s ability to film freely in a vacant Glendale Galleria. A privilege the critics she derides would never have access to. Something that shines through in her laughing taunt, “Stop, what the hell are you talking about?/Ha/Get my pretty name out of your mouth/We are not the same with or without/Don’t talk ’bout me like how you might know how I feel/Top of the world, but your world isn’t real/Your world’s an ideal.” Often, an impossible one for anybody to live up to. But such is the complex and isolating nature of being a critic.
Causing outrage by positioning oneself—literally—as Jesus is nothing new in the music industry. Whether it’s Nas (from whom Lil Nas X obviously takes a portion of his name) or Madonna, nailing oneself to the cross has long been a popular form of controversy-stirring (in addition to “simple” cross burning). But, as it’s been a while since someone has done it, perhaps Lil Nas X thought the time had come for someone to jump back up there. After all, feeling like a martyr is the name of the game in these modern times, for it seems to be one of the best ways to get attention (since taking off one’s clothes doesn’t have the same rarity as it used to).
It’s easy to feel like a martyr anyway as a celebrity in the social media age, wherein internet trolls appear in waves to deride anyone they perceive as somehow affronting. And Lil Nas X is no stranger to invoking the “wrath” of such trolls. But he, in turn, knows how to invoke his own wrath by being even more “controversial” in response. Indeed, he seems to take a page from Ye’s (back when he was Kanye West) 2004 “Jesus Walks” video with the religious overtones and imagery that abound in this self-directed project. Perhaps this is why Ye is featured as one of the “problematic” figures walking on the stairway to heaven. And, also taking a page from something Ye would do (and has done in the video for “Famous”), Lil Nas X includes the presence of Taylor Swift walking up the stairway as well. Though she surely wouldn’t like the implications of having to share any “heaven space” with said man/eternal nemesis. One friend she might not mind having around, however, is Ed Sheeran, another famous face (or rather, imitation of a famous face) who appears on the scene. Mariah Carey (who’s also name-checked in the song via the lines, “Last year was a quiet year/Now I’m on Mariah, yeah/I’m finna take it higher, yeah, okay”), Oprah and Barack Obama are in the line for “ascent” too as the very Kendrick Lamar-esque (specifically, “Humble”) beat drops.
As the camera then makes its way upward to show us a “slice of life in the sky,” we see the “angel” (or is he God?) that is Lil Nas X, who waves playfully to none other than Michael Jackson doing his moonwalk amongst the clouds. This, in fact, may be the most controversial moment of all in the video. But it also seems telling that a shot of Michael Jackson immediately prompts the camera to dip quickly down into hell to see what’s going on there (as Lil Nas X already showed us his fondness for doing in “Montero [Call Me By Your Name]”). And, in Lil Nas X’s imagination, what’s going on is a “gladiator-style” basketball game between Jesus and the devil…after a quick flash to Lil Nas as some kind of devilish Macbeth-ian witch standing vigil over a cauldron filled with dismembered arms and legs.
During said basketball game, “Satan” is, of course, wearing Lil Nas X’s notorious “Satan” Nikes with “Luke 10:18” emblazoned on them (that verse containing the lines: “He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven’”). After “J Christ” makes a slam dunk, Lil Nas X then cuts to himself dressed as the head cheerleader sassily cheering on the game as his fellow squad members lift him above their head.
It’s in the next scene that Lil Nas X delivers on the promise of a song title like “J Christ,” appearing nailed to the cross that we initially see him on from a perspective that makes him appear turned upside down as he raps, “Which way that we goin’? Hmm, this way” before the cross is “flipped around” to show his crucifixion “right side up.” Lil Nas X then goes from crucifixion to sheep shearing—perhaps a symbolic nod to how he plans to lead his flock while ensuring they all look their best. As Lil Nas X does while “serving cunt” in the next scene where he treats the white steps he stands on like a heavenly Met Gala photo opportunity. Turns out, Ts Madison is watching him strike these poses on her TV, as the headline, “Breaking News: We Are So Back” captions it. And yes, based on the subsequent headline detailing the “Global Flood Warning,” it’s clear that this moment in history would be the perfect time for J Christ to swoop in (which makes him sound more like a superhero than a messiah). Lil Nas X, indeed, does offer a fair point about how these are very apocalyptic times, and Jesus really ought to be materializing per the Bible’s “save the date” promises regarding the apocalypse.
The Noah’s Ark allusion is, obviously, not lost on the viewer either as torrents of water proceed to flood the city. Lil Nas X then does a very 00s-inspired round of choreography amid the lightning and rain with a billboard behind him that reads, “Lord Help Me For I Am At War.” Or, as Ye phrased it on “Jesus Walks,” “We at war/We at war with terrorism, racism/But most of all we at war with ourselves.”
Lil Nas X goes through that war with the self in a very “Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump” sort of way as he battles with the storm on a ship caught thrashing among the waves. When the tempest subsides and Lil Nas X’s ship starts to sail into the sun of a new dawn, the words, “Day Zero A New Beginning” flash over the screen. The final title card then quotes the Corinthians with, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Ah, leave it to Lil Nas X to repurpose scripture for the announcement of an upcoming album drop.
In short, the real reason for Lil Nas writing a song called “J Christ” was so he could serve all the looks while declaring, “Back-back-back up out the gravesite/Bitch, I’m back like J Christ/I’m finna get the gays hyped/I’m finna take it yay high [not Ye low].” And he has…even while also sinking into the depths of hell to do it.
Christmas came early for Lil Nas X fans as he announced his latest collaboration with Crocs this week.
The Grammy award-winning singer became the brand’s global ambassador back in June, and right in time for the festive season. He’s dropped his very own limited edition footwear, Lil Nas X Sherpa Mega Crush Clog.
Lil Nas X Went All Out With This Cozy Collab
These brown and beige-colored clogs, perfect for the winter, are said to wrap your feet in warm faux shearling.
While they may look like they’re mainly for home wear, the chunky rubber sole indicates otherwise, meaning they’re built for outdoor comfort.
Crocs reveals that, like all their footwear, these clogs are very lightweight and feature their signature foam cushioning. The Lil Nas clogs promise to keep your feet snug and stylish throughout the day.
And despite its celebrity endorsement, the collection leans into the company’s beliefs of affordable comfort. After all, great style shouldn’t have to break the bank.
The Lil Nas X Mega Crush clogs retail for $110. Fans can accessorize their footwear with exclusive Jibbitz charms starting at $20 per piece.
Artist Talks Process Of Creating His Crocs
In a recent interview with Footwear News, the 24-year-old explained the process of creating his latest collaboration with the brand and why having a chunky sole was an important addition to the designing process.
“I love to add a little height with anything I do, especially in my shoes, so the Mega Crush clog was the perfect shoe to work with for the collection,” he shared.
Adding:
“We played around with a lot of different colors and textures, but the brown sherpa fur is definitely my favorite and is perfect for winter. I like that we pushed the boundaries a little bit with this — it’s something different than the classic Croc.”
Given the creative freedom of the partnership, Lil Nas says he knew there was a lot of room to play with different styles and colors.
“These furry Crocs definitely have a cozy and warm feeling to them, so I’d probably pair these with everyday wear like a hoodie or some sweats,” he continued.
The Georgia native, reportedly worth $9 million, proves himself to be quite the businessman and further teased that he expects another Crocs collaboration to follow next year.
Roommates, are you feeling these clogs, and would you wear them?
They wouldn’t shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve
What I was wearing, if I was rude
Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves
Taylor Swift, “The Man”
When Barbie premiered in July, women felt seen in the cinema — perhaps for the first time in a long time. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was more than a beginner’s feminist manifesto, but also a meditation on what it means to be both a woman and mother in today’s world. It was a gentle reminder that maybe we’re all just trying our best — and that our best is enough.
It also encouraged women celebrate each other more. The Barbie effect had us all wearing pink, emulating Margot Robbie’s cowboy-chic style, and referring to men as our “Kens.” And with help from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, her friendship bracelets, and sense of community, women were winning. It’s the first year in history that women dominated the Billboard Hot 100 twice (thanks to Swift and her Midnights and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album). Like I said, it’s a good year to be a woman.
This celebration of women and our successes is long overdue, but the promising news is that it isn’t slowing down. Barbie’s feminist wave has shifted how we are accepting ourselves (and others) as women.
So it’s no surprise that women are raking in awards this year too, dominating the Grammy nominations and more. We hail celebrities for all sorts of achievements: Patrick Dempsey is People’s Sexiest Man Alive (deserved), Taylor Swift is the world leader (they literally projected her welcome onto Christ the Redeemer), and Austin Butler is Best Elvis (because somehow we have multiple).
And one of the buzziest celeb awards is run by GQ (short for Gentlemen’s Quarterly), whose “Men Of The Year” award is a highlight of every fall/winter. Similar to TIME’s 100 list, GQ likes to celebrate those who have taken the world by storm annually.
This year, the recipient of the Man of the Year award is none other than Kim Kardashian…and they’re not wrong.
Kim has been taking her empire to new heights in 2023: building on the 2022 launch of her SKKN-care line, breaking ground with Skims’ Men’s campaign, the Nipple Bra, and becoming the official partner of the NBA/WNBA, working on prison reform, filming The Kardashians on Hulu, starring alongside Emma Roberts in Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story as Siobhan Corbyn, I could go on.
Calling someone “the man” has now become synonymous with “a winner.” Saying “you’re the man” is a sign of their success. And though this might have problematic roots, women are reclaiming the term — like the Taylor Swift song. And in the grand scheme of things: Kim Kardashian is the man.
Some hard working men get the title alongside Kim in the GQ issue. The other MOTY honorees include Jacob Elordi (AKA Elvis #2, who’s starring in blockbusters like Sofia Coppolla’s Priscilla and Saltburn alongside Barry Keoghan), Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin, designer-turned-filmmaker Tom Ford, and Travis Scott. But you have to admit that Kim hasn’t come up for air this year.
It’s right there for us to see in episodes of The Kardashians: Kim flying from country to country for another event on her booked and busy schedule. She’s literally everywhere at once, officiating recently divorced Chris Appleton and Lukas Gage’s wedding, shooting countless magazine covers and promo shoots for her growing enterprise, opening a Skims popup here, and shooting an episode of AHS there.
Is there anything she can’t do?
Meet The Previous Recipients Of GQ’s Men of the Year
Kim Kardashian is one of the few women to grace the cover of GQ’s Man of the Year edition. Technically dubbed “Tycoon of the Year”, acknowledging her business successes over the past few years (and for the gender neutrality of it all)- Kardashian joins a host of some of the most famous men in the world. Let’s take a look at the past five years:
2022: Brendan Fraser, Andrew Garfield
2021: Lil Nas X, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tom Holland
2020: Megan Thee Stallion, George Clooney, Trevor Noah
2019: Jennifer Lopez, Tyler, The Creator, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino
2018: Michael B. Jordan, Henry Golding, Jonah Hill
Women are normally recognized during the Men of the Year ceremonies, as it is a celebration of all people who emulated pop culture that year…however, no year has celebrated women quite like 2023.
The Men of the Year Awards 2023 were held on November 15 at London’s Royal Opera House where cover stars like Jeremy Allen White, boygenius, and Kardashian were in attendance.
Other female recipients included Megan Thee Stallion and Rihanna, who have paved their own paths in both the music and fashion industry. Rihanna with her Savage x Fenty inclusive lingerie line and Fenty Beauty has been changing the makeup and underwear game for a while now. Megan Thee Stallion is coming off a high-profile trial that she won against Tory Lanez, under immense public scrutiny, has become a figure for mental health and domestic violence while still creating hit records.
It’s one of the most female-dominated GQ events we’ve seen, which is a pattern. The GRAMMY Award nominations just rolled out with so many female artists nominated, you’d think it’s a record. In the top three categories, female acts make up seven out of eight nominees.
This year, women are the man. It’s an exciting, uplifting time where we get to celebrate with each other instead of tearing one another down. Kim K is just another example of the Barbie effect.
A month ago I watched the NBA’s most fashionable player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, walk into the Crypto.com Arena in a cartoon-esque outfit. These round, fire-engine red boots paired with jeans that were intentionally wavy. It felt like you took some sort of psychedelic looking at him.
And I laughed, because of course this was just the tip of the iceberg for the Big Red Boot fashion movement. MSCHF’s newest headline-worthy drop was New York Fashion Week’s most talked about shoe. You remember their Satan Sneaker, you’ve heard of their Birkenstocks made out of Birkins — MSCHF (who are actually not designers, but a Brooklyn-based art-collective) loves to make a statement.
At the low price of $350, MSCHF offers an escape from reality with these boots via their press release:
“Cartoonishness is an abstraction that frees us from the constraints of reality. If you kick someone in these boots, they go boing!”
Look, if this is how you want to spend your money…don’t let me tell you not to. However, I have to wonder what the line is between fashionable clothing and viral fashion statements. Sure, I want to feel as cool as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but I don’t think wearing Big Red Boots will get me compliments at a bar.
In an article by Laura Reilly for The Cut, she dons a $1,400 Diesel belt skirt that was thrust into mainstream fascination by, of course, TikTok. The only problem, the rigid leather belt barely covers anything. She muses whether or not viral fashion is meant to be worn, or to just remain viral. The perfect example that comes to mind is Bella Hadid’s Coperni spray-on dress: the most viral fashion moment of 2022, but not meant to be worn in public.
“During New York Fashion Week last month, there was a lot of discussion about viral fashion and its place at the shows, and since a 59-second TikTok video can often lack critical context, I set out to see what would happen when I wore the skirt in the real world: Would people stare? Would they be outraged? Would they even know I’m wearing theeeee viral skirt?”
The answer seems a bit underwhelming for those who want to have that viral piece of fashion: not everyone is going to understand (or necessarily care about) what you’re wearing…even at NYFW. Sure, you’ll get attention from avid TikTokers who are keeping up with the trends, but you will get some side eyes from others who aren’t so knowledgeable.
Viral fashion has the same effect on me that most fast fashion does: I could wear it once, get a few photos in it…and then it’ll sit in my closet, never to be worn again, until I come to my senses and donate it. Much like Lizzie McGuire, I don’t like being called an outfit repeater, and viral fashion is too memorable and too niche to be a staple in my closet.
However, there are the rare pieces that catch the public eye, and stay there. So instead of obscure, camp-y fashion statements…here are some of my favorite viral fashion-inspired moments that won’t cycle out of your wardrobe in 2-5 weeks.
The Boston Birks are a classic, but constantly gripping my toes to keep them on my feet is exhausting. The leather Arizona Birks are perfect for summer weather…and won’t fly off your feet if you aren’t paying attention. Hell, they even look good for a socks-and-sandals moment.
Denim is thriving in the fashion world right now. Head-to-toe denim looks are all the rage, and these shortalls are just what you need. I like to wear these to the beach as a coverup, or just on hot days during the summer.
Weekend travel bags make packing easy, and BAGGU is one of the trendiest bag brands right now. Beloved by thriftshop afficandos, frequent fliers, and laptop-carrying girlbosses alike! This featherweight bag can compact down into a small pouch, but also fits everything you need for a weekend getaway. It also comes in fun colors like lime green and lavender, the perfect pop of color for your carry-on.
More pockets, less problems. These satin straight leg cargo pants mix comfort and style for your favorite warm-weather going out pants. They’re great for work and play, meaning you can wear them to the office and then right to happy hour afterwards.
The trendiest jacket of the spring is the bomber/varsity jacket. This one from Alo Yoga comes in neutral shades and has an oversized look that everyone is loving right now. It’s both cozy and functional.
The 50th American Music Awards are taking place on Sunday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
The show, produced by dick clark productions and ABC, is being hosted by Wayne Brady.
The star-studded event celebrates the year’s best music and performances, as voted on by fans.
Puerto Rican performer Bad Bunny topped the list of nominees this year with the most nods, earning eight, including his first-ever for artist of the year.
Beyoncé, Drake and Taylor Swift followed, each earning six nominations. Adele, Harry Styles and The Weeknd came in with five a piece.
First-time nominees include Jack Hawlow, Latto and BLACKPINK.
Performers set to take the stage include Pink, who opened the show, as well as Dove Cameron, Lil Baby, Bebe Rexha, Carrie Underwood, Imagine Dragons and others.
Lionel Richie, a 17-time AMA winner, will be honored with the Icon Award for his career contributions to the music industry. Charlie Puth, Stevie Wonder and other artists will take the stage in tribute performances for Richie.
The show announced some of the winners prior to the broadcast.
Elton John, first nominated for an AMA in 1974, is now regarded as the longest-recognized artist in the awards show’s history. He took home his first AMA win since 1988, for best collaboration with Dua Lipa.
Taylor Swift led the pack with three AMA wins ahead of broadcast, including best female country artist.
Below is a list of nominees for this year’s American Music Awards. The list will be updated with winners in bold throughout the broadcast, along with the winners from non-televised categories.
