Lil Nas X on Beyoncé and Shaboozey’s Success in Country Realm: ‘I Wasn’t Able to Experience This’

“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X might be the longest-running No. 1 single in Billboard Hot 100 history after spending 19 weeks, but that doesn’t stop the conflicted feelings the Grammy-winning “Industry Baby” rapper has regarding his controversial reception in the country music space back in 2019, compared to how Beyoncé‘s and Shaboozey‘s country tunes have been embraced in 2024.

Despite the fact that he’s “happy” for the two, Lil Nas X told the BBC on May 19,

“I wish this would have happened for me. I wasn’t even able to experience this.”

Recall that Lil Nas and Billy Ray in 2019 took home the 2019 CMA Award for musical event of the year, but, for the “Montero” singer, even that triumph pales in comparison to how Black artists are currently being received in the mainstream country space. Half a decade after the domination of “Old Town Road,” Black artists are making history in the genre. But topping the 2024, Beyoncé’s smash hit “Texas Hold ‘Em” became the first song by a Black woman to top Hot Country Songs, as well as the first country song by a Black woman to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100. Months later — following the release of Queen Bey’s Cowboy Carter, the first album by a Black woman to top Country Albums — Shaboozey’s J-Kwon-interpolating “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” reached No. 1 on Country Songs, making him and Beyoncé the first Black artists to score back-to-back leaders in the chart’s 66-year history. “A Bar Song” has since reached No. 3 on the Hot 100, marking Shaboozey’s third appearance on the ranking in 2024, following his dual Cowboy Carter features: “Spaghettii” (No. 31, with Linda Martell) and “Sweet * Honey * Buckiin’” (No. 61).

For the album “Cowboy Carter” , Beyonce featured with several ascendant Black country stars, including Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tiera Kennedy and Willie Jones.

Upon the release of “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Billboard reported massive streaming boosts for Black women in country music, ranging from Martell to Rissi Palmer and K. Michelle.