The horse ride back. Atlanta rapper Lil Nas X release a song that makes it to the country music boards. Billboard pulls it off the charts. |
It was independently released on December 3, 2018, and became popular in early 2019 through the social media app TikTok. The song reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the Hot Country Songs chart before the magazine disqualified it from being included on the latter.
It also made the Top 40 in charts around the world, including in Belgium, New Zealand, Ireland, and Norway.
A few days later, Billboard removes the single from the top country charts claiming it doesn't meet the criteria.
It's not just a hip-hop themed song, it's actually a country single.
"Old Town Road" made Billboard history when it became the first song to simultaneously chart on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in March 2019.
However, Billboard quietly removed "Old Town Road" from its Hot Country chart for "not [embracing] enough elements of today’s country music".
Serious trolling from Lil Nas X |
Country music fans and hip-hop fans are calling out Billboard for that. They believe the decision was racially bias towards the entertainer.
Billboard also addressed critics who suggested that the rapper was being singled out because of his race, because pop crossover songs are routinely included on country charts.
"Billboard's decision to take the song off of the country chart had absolutely nothing to do with the race of the artist," the statement said.
Lil Nas X was recently signed to Columbia Records.
The song has spawned dance videos and got a shout-out on social media from Justin Bieber. Texas Tech’s basketball team posted a video of the team dancing to the song in the locker room and country singer Jake Owen tweeted at the rapper, saying he wanted to jam with him.
Shawn Corey Carter, known as Jay-Z is going to be the legal representation for Lil Nas X.
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