Lil Nas X is breaking more records.
The American rapper has become the second openly gay man, after Elton John, to earn a diamond-certification for a song. According to Billboard, Old Town Road has reached sales (and streaming equivalent sales) of 10 million units.
The country-rap anthem, which featured a popular remix with Billy Ray Cyrus, is also the fastest song in history to reach the prestigious chart milestone. Earlier this year, the song became the longest-running US number one of all time.
It spent 19 weeks in the pole position, three weeks longer than the two previous record holders, One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (1995–96), and Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber (2016).
In August, Lil Nas X took home the award for Song of the Year at the VMAs, making him the first LGBTQ artist to do so.
He also became the first artist to come out as gay while having a number one song.
Shortly after he came out, he told BBC that he didn’t have anything to hide: “It’s something I was considering never doing, ever, taking to the grave. But I don’t wanna live my entire life – especially how I got to where I’m at, not doing what I wanna do.”
He said he wants to open doors for LGBTQ artists in country and hip-hop because “homosexuality is not accepted in either”.
Old Town Road is included on the star’s debut EP, 7, which also features collaborations with artists such as Cardi B and Travis Barker. It includes his sophomore single, Panini, which has so peaked at number five in the United States.
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