Lil Nas X has made history (again).
The American rapper has become the first openly gay man to receive a nomination at the Country Music Awards.
He has been nominated for Musical Event of the Year for his viral, country hip-hop track Old Town Road (Remix) with Billy Ray Cyrus, which recently became the longest-running number single of all time on the Billboard Hot 100.
It logged nineteen consecutive weeks at the pole position, surpassing the previous record of sixteen weeks achieved by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men with One Sweet Day and Despacito by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber.
Lil Nas X 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”.
Earlier this week, Lil Nas X took home the award for Song of the Year at the VMAs, making him the first LGBTQ artist to do so.
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 16 in the United States.
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