Lil Nas X shares throwback video of 'life before fame' versus now

Nick Romano
·2 min read

Lil Nas X told us long ago, "I've got what you're waiting for."

The Grammy-winning rapper-singer shared a throwback video of his "life before fame" after releasing his first full album, Montero, this past Friday.

The video shows Lil Nas X eating a slice of pizza on Jan. 8, 2019 after just releasing "Old Town Road," featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. "It's doing pretty f---ing good," he said of the hit that won him the Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video in 2020.

Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X/TikTok; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Lil Nas X shares throwback video to 'life before fame'

"You know right now, no matter what, 3k [followers] on Instagram, 2k on YouTube, not even 1k followers on Spotify I don't think, but I'ma hit you all back a year from now and we'll see where I'm at," he said.

Well, in 2021, Lil Nas X now has 10.9 million followers on Instagram, 16.1 million on YouTube, and 56.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Speaking to the latter, he's now the most-streamed male rapper on Spotify.

Lil Nas X's music is partly for his younger self. "Sun Goes Down," off of Montero, sees the rapper visiting his younger version in high school. "I know that you want to cry/ But it's much more to life than dyin'/ Over your past mistakes/ And people who threw dirt on your name," he sings.

The performer also wrote a letter to "14-year-old Montero" that he shared on social media this past March. "I know we promised to never come out publicly, I know we promised to never be 'that' type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist," he wrote in part.

Now, more than two years since "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X is collaborating with another Cyrus. Miley Cyrus features on "Am I Dreaming" as part of Montero.

"i now have a song with billy ray cyrus and miley cyrus, i will not rest until i've collected every cyrus stone to harness the ultimate power," he tweeted in jest on Saturday.

Give it another two years and he'll probably have done just that.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Maude Lewis letters to Ontario WW2 veteran sell for thousands of dollars

    Six special letters from the 1960s between two unlikely pen pals have sold at auction for thousands of dollars. They were sent to a Second World War veteran-turned-artist in Ontario by acclaimed Nova Scotia folk artist Maud Lewis. Heidi Petracek reports on what led to the long distance connection and where the letters are now.

  • Southern Alberta stakeholders sign historic water-sharing agreement

    Here in Canada, you might think our climate and numerous lakes would protect us from severe water shortages. But a rapidly-heating planet means warmer winters and drastically smaller snowpacks — which makes the prospect of serious and prolonged drought a reality. Now, stakeholders in Alberta have signed a series of historic agreements about how water will be shared. Heather Yourex-West explains.

  • Dak Prescott says he's not 'necessarily' gunning to be highest-paid QB in NFL

    Joe Burrow leads all NFL quarterbacks at $55 million per year.

  • New records detail emails sent to Superintendent Horne’s Empower Hotline

    The hotline for parents to sound the alarm on public school concerns marked one-year last month, however after months of waiting for the records of emails and phone calls, ABC15 just obtained the first week of emails sent to the Empower Hotline.

  • Nelly Korda 1 shot back through 36 holes at Chevron Championship as she chases 5th straight victory

    THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Nelly Korda, seeking to tie an LPGA Tour record with her fifth straight win, shot a 3-under 69 on Friday in the second round of the Chevron Championship, leaving her one shot behind leaders Atthaya Thitikul and Jin Hee Im in the year’s first major. Korda began the day two shots off the lead after opening with a 68 at Carlton Woods. She got out to a tough start Friday, making a double bogey on the first hole before making birdies on two of the next three. She finished

  • Brayan Bello allows 1 hit in 6 innings as Red Sox breeze past Pirates 8-1

    PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brayan Bello allowed one hit in six innings, Rob Refsnyder hit his first home run of the season and the Boston Red Sox breezed past the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates 8-1 on Friday night. Bello (3-1) struck out seven and walked two. The lone hit he surrendered was a leadoff double by Jack Suwinski in the bottom of the second. Bello retired the last 11 batters he faced as the Red Sox bounced back from a dismal homestand by handing the Pirates their fourth straight loss. Refsnyder

  • Phoenix police commander filed EEOC sex discrimination charge

    The Phoenix Police Department faces a federal employment discrimination investigation after complaints by one of the highest-ranking women in the department claims that her supervisor violated her civil rights and the city failed to take timely action.

  • Residents praise law officials connecting south Monterey County murders

    Many in south Monterey County are reacting to major developments announced Thursday by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office surrounding two shootings that left six people dead and seven injured.

  • Alzheimer's Association celebrates progress

    ABC 10News Reporter Madison Weil emceed at an Alzheimer's Association event and shared her own personal reason for her attendance.

  • Elly De La Cruz slugs 3-run HR and Nick Lodolo works 6 strong innings as Reds beat Angels 7-1

    CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, Nick Lodolo pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for his second quality start since coming off the injured list and the Cincinnati Reds snapped a three-game skid with a 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. Lodolo allowed a run and seven hits while striking out six. The 26-year-old left-hander exited in the seventh with one out and runners on second and third. Fernando Cruz came on and struck out Jo Adell and Zach Neto to e

  • Man suspected of shooting at CHP officer in south Sacramento arrested in Fresno County

    The shooting led to a standoff Wednesday, but the suspect was not found in the Sacramento County home.

  • Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles of Dead Poets Society star in Taylor Swift video

    The US pop superstar surprised her fans on Friday by releasing a secret ‘double album’ instalment.

  • Shelter staff training examined at coroner's inquest in Whitehorse

    Warning: This story contains distressing details.Witnesses who testified on the second week of a coroner's inquest into the deaths of four women at an emergency shelter in Whitehorse were questioned about whether shelter staff were properly trained to respond to medical situations, including overdoses or caring for intoxicated guests. Questions from lawyers came after footage from the video surveillance taken on the night Darla Skookum died was screened at the inquest.The footage revealed that s

  • Carls targeted at nature preserve lot in Jamul

    A brazen vehicle break-in was caught on camera in the busy parking lot of a nature preserve in East County.

  • Road closures planned in Metro Vancouver this weekend

    It's expected to be a busy weekend in the Metro Vancouver area as several events, including Surrey's Vaisakhi parade and the Vancouver Sun Run, are scheduled to take place. The Surrey Vaisakhi Parade will take to the streets Saturday, complete with performers, floats, live music and vendors. Organizers say the event is the largest Vaisakhi parade in the world, and is expected to draw up to 500,000 people. The parade route begins at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, located at 12885 85 Ave., and

  • Incidents targeting Jewish, Muslim people

    Abc 10News Reporter Perla Shaheen spoke with local leaders who says there has been an increase of anti-semitism following the Israel-Hamas War.

  • Justin Verlander allows 2 runs over 6 innings in season debut for Astros

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Justin Verlander allowed two runs and four his over six innings in the three-time Cy Young Award winner's season debut for the Houston Astros against the Washington Nationals on Friday night. The 41-year-old right-hander, who began the season on the injured list because of right should inflammation, struck out four and walked none, throwing 59 of 78 pitches for strikes. Verlander averaged 94.3 mph with 35 four-seam fastballs and induced five groundouts. The nine-time All-Star r

  • Denver weather: 1 to 4 inches of snow possible, heavier totals in mountains by Saturday

    The calendar may say spring, but it looks and feels more like winter across the Front Range. Heavy snow sticks around overnight into Saturday morning.

  • Deadline to apply for FEMA relief

    ABC 10News Anchor Wale Aliyu spoke with a flood victim who applied for FEMA relief. The victim says he met all of the deadlines with FEMA, but the money he received barely moved the needle. When he made an appeal for his personal belongings, it was not approved.

  • United Overseas Bank's (SGX:U11) Dividend Will Be SGD0.85

    The board of United Overseas Bank Limited ( SGX:U11 ) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 9th of May, with...