Lil Nas X, Old Town Road | Track Review

While “Old Town Road” lacks substance, this breakthrough Lil Nas X track, in original and remixed form (with Billy Ray Cyrus) initiates important discussion.

Country and hip-hop seem like they would never, ever work together, at least convincingly.  Apparently, rapper Lil Nas X has different ideas.  Yes, the rapper is responsible for the brief record (under two minutes mind you) that everybody is talking about and has caused its fair share of controversy.  That would be the Billboard Hot 100 no. 1 hit, “Old Town Road” that manages to fuse melodic rap (trap precisely) and country music.  It’s crazy mind you, but the result is a song that no one is sure to forget.  Adding to the sensation is the “Old Town Road – Remix,” which adds country artist Billy Ray Cyrus to the mix. The remix extends the length of “Old Town Road” to north of two-and-a-half minutes.

Why does either edition “Old Town Road” work? Well, for one, Lil Nas X opts for a more melodic approach, something that we wouldn’t hear as often in the rap music of old.  Nowadays, rappers are singing much more frequently, which allows for more crossover into other genres.  “Old Town Road” is melodic, and Lil Nas X seems to intentionally sound like a country singer yet remain idiomatic of the autotuned heavy nature of modern rap. Furthermore, the lyrics play off of things – clichés really – associated with country music, at least to some extent.  On the second verse for example, the rapper kicks things off pop-rapping, “Ridin’ on a tractor” and later adds, “Bull ridin’ and boobies / Cowboy hat from Gucci / Wrangler on my booty.” Okay, country artists wouldn’t typically say boobies, but the other stuff is fair game, right?

Adding to the reasons why this joint works is that the hip-hop beat, coupled with ‘country-folk’ guitars, which are fueled by a thoughtful Nine Inch Nails sample (“34 Ghosts IV”).  The sound of the record has a countrified sound, but again, nobody quite knows how to handle it. It’s not traditional country by any means, but with all genres pushing the envelope, why is a mix of country and trap so far-fetched? “Old Town Road” was removed from Billboard’s country charts, which caused an uproar to say the least, though apparently, the decision may not be permanent.

Final Thoughts

If nothing else, “Old Town Road” is good for the music industry and society alike because it starts a discussion.  Not only is it a musical discussion about how much genre-bending is acceptable, it also dives into race.  As a song, it is a novelty cut, and while it lacks substance, it is definitely infectious.

Lil Nas X • Old Town Road (Ft. Billy Ray Cyrus) [Single] • Columbia • Release: 4.5.19

Photo Credit: Columbia