JAZMINE HUGHES: At some point during our time together, we were sitting at lunch, and I asked him, how much of your life is dedicated to proving people wrong? And he said, almost all of it, right? I asked her how Lil Nas X is paving the way for longevity. Jazmine Hughes explored that in a profile of Lil Nas X for the New York Times magazine. SHAPIRO: This shift in his artistry may also be part of a bigger change in the music industry. LIL NAS X: (Singing) Yeah, I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road. Those two singles are a big shift from his first viral chart-topper, this earworm from 2019. And at the same time, the top two spots on YouTube's music video charts were both held by Lil Nas X, an artist whose videos unapologetically embrace queer Black sexuality. The music festival Lollapalooza dropped rapper DaBaby from its lineup after he made homophobic remarks. Over the weekend, we got a snapshot of where part of the music industry stands right now on LGBT issues.
