Lil Nas X, Lean On My Body | Song Review

Polarizing Grammy-winning rapper/singer Lil Nas X returns with another bold and unapologetic bop, “Lean On My Body.”

“How you at the front of the motherfuckin’ crowd with a sad face? / Fix your motherfuckin’ face.” Woo! And that, folks, is how the Lil Nas X single, “Lean On My Body”, commences. Montero Lamar Hill is profane and unapologetic in the spoken word intro, and we would expect no less.  The boldness carries over into the verses, where Hill is aggressive as ForUnderConsentoftheKing.  He is accompanied by an excellent musical backdrop that includes a hard-nosed beat and scintillating synths. Take A Daytrip and Jasper Harris produced this bop.

Pardon my French but Lil Nas X talks ample shit. The trash talk is legit. “You know I love you, so I say this shit with love,” he asserts in the first verse, “But please tell your fans they need to shut the fuck up.” Damn! In the same verse, he also memorably mentions his nephew beating up someone, co-signing it: “Fuck it, yeah, I said it, I condone that shit / Choke that nigga out /… Go corona on that bitch / Walk that nigga like a dog, nephew, own that bitch.” Wow… The second verse continues boldly with more ferocious rhymes: “Y’all my sons, but I might just Marvin Gaye y’all niggas.” Gah-da-yum, Lil Nas X! The chorus is more reverent, featuring gospel-infused vocals and vibes:

“Lean on my body, Lord (Amen, amen, amen)

Bring blessings on my soul (Amen, amen, amen, amen)

And when the war is over (Thank you!)

See it’s time to tell the world the war is won (Yeah).”

Notably, the kick-ass, hard-hitting beat expands post-chorus that follows.  Going back to the ‘Christian’ sensibilities, Lil Nas X petitions to God in the outro (“Save me, Lord, they schemin’ on me / Save your love, it’s leanin’ on me”). Lil Nas X remains ‘something else’ on “Lean On My Body”.  He remains a polarizing musician, but, the latest cycle of songs continues to impress, even if they are not catching on the airwaves or streaming-wise like his past bops.

Lil Nas X // “Lean On My Body” // Columbia // 3.21.25

[: Columbia]