For a while now, the song “Old Town Road” has taken over the internet since it mixes two very different genres: rap and country.
The song catches the listener’s ear with a melody played on a banjo at the beginning, then it switches to a heavy bass, giving the song a ‘trap’ sound while still having a strong country mood throughout the whole thing.
The unseeming “Old Town Road” would become an internet phenomenon.
It founded the “Yeehaw Challenge,” where people make videos of themselves dancing to the song — some even dress like someone from the Wild West.
Because of the popularity of his song, Lil Nas X — a 19-year-old rapper from Atlanta, Georgia — landed on the 15th spot of the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 1 on the Country Billboard 100, according to New York Magazine.
He was later taken off the Billboard Country 100 because the song “does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music.”
After his track was removed from the Billboard country charts, artist Lil Nas X has just re-released "Old Town Road" as a remix with Billy Ray Cyrus.
Why was the hit deemed not "country" enough in the first place? pic.twitter.com/ip896tDuRE
— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 5, 2019
Afterward, people on the internet rallied for Lil Nas X, saying it was wrong for him to be taken off because of its differences compared to many of the songs in the country genre.
However, taking the song off the charts would not stop people from putting on their cowboy hats and enjoying the song.
Though Lil Nas X was already active on Twitter, it’s no surprise to many that he has been especially active since his new fame.
The “Old Town Road” rapper jokingly tweeted he would want the country legend Billy Ray Cyrus on the remix of the song.
To his surprise, his wish came true.
it happened !!! https://t.co/b2PikhrwIK
— ☆ (@LilNasX) April 5, 2019
The remix is not very different from the original song. The cover of the original track had a black horse on a white background, and the cover of the remix has another horse symbolizing Billy Ray Cyrus.
In the remix, Cyrus sings the chorus instead of Lil Nas X in the beginning. The middle verse and chorus stayed the same.
After that, it was time for the legend to shine.
Billy Ray Cyrus hopped on the remix and delivered what can only be described as the “sauciest” country feature ever.
After giving Lil Nas X the feature, Billy Ray gave the Atlanta native words of advice, saying he is “a light in this world.” He also said he would see him all over the universe.
https://twitter.com/LilNasX/status/1114228153860255744
Cyrus not only co-signed Lil Nas X in the studio, but he also took it to Twitter, where he said there no way that it wasn’t country, throwing “shade” at Billboard for taking the song off the chart.
Right now, many on Twitter are going crazy for the song and the hype is not looking like it is going to die down anytime soon.
Lil Nas X has hinted at future songs, and some wonder if he will continue down the Country Rap trail, but only time will tell.
“Old Town Road” and the “Old Town Road” remix are available on all streaming platforms. Be sure to take a few listens, take the horses out the back and take a ride down the Old Town Road.
