Lil Nas X says he wishes Beyonce’s country music success “would have happened for” him.
Billboard removed LNX’s “Old Town Road” country rap song from the Hot Country Songs chart in 2019, because the song did “not embrace enough elements” of country music.
“Old Town Road” was still a crossover success, despite the song not getting any love on the country music scene.
But times have changed and country music is embracing singers like Beyonce, K. Michelle and Shaboozey.
Beyonce recently became the first Black woman to peak at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The single remained atop the chart for 10 weeks before Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” replaced her in the top slot.
In a new interview with BBC, LNX says he’s “happy” for them but frustrated that he wasn’t embraced by the genre.
“I wish this would have happened for me. I wasn’t even able to experience this,” Lil Nas X told the BBC.
Despite his Grammy Awards and global fame, LNX claims he has been overlooked.
He admits he hasn’t reached the level of fame of Beyonce or Nicki Minaj, whom he idolizes.
“Of course I know my own worth, but these are the things that are going to feed your family and the people around you who have helped build what you’re creating,” he said.
