Lil Nas X celebrates CMAs nomination after Country charts snub

Lil Nas X didn't get the traction on the country music charts that he thought he might, but the Country Music Awards didn't forget him

Shawn Grant

Aug 30, 2019

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Earlier this year Lil Nas X‘s smash single “Old Town Road” was removed from country charts but in a twist of irony, he now finds himself nominated for a Country Music Award at the 53rd annual celebration of the genre.

The trap-infused, Billy Ray Cyrus-featured remix is nominated for the Musical Event of the Year category, matching the young Atlanta native against the likes of Brooks & Dunn and Garth Brooks.

thank you guys for this nomination!! https://t.co/YFMudfHWQI

— nope (@LilNasX) August 28, 2019

According to the Huffington Post, the original version of “Old Town Road” first hit the web in December, however, it did not begin to catch the attention of the masses until March. As it began to ascend up the Hot Country Songs chart it was removed in March. Billboard cited the reason for the exclusion as the single not containing the “elements of today’s country music to chart.”

After the removal outrage spanned social media and the history of racism, in particular with Black artists and country music arose. In April, Billy Ray Cyrus spoke out in support of the young star, spawning the first of many remixes to the song.

At the MTV Video Music Awards this week, X and Cyrus accepted the award for Song of the Year. The win for the duo came in the same week as Cyrus’ birthday, which Lil Nas X shared an image of the two and a birthday wish in the caption. “Happy birthday to a legend who helped me take my career to the next level!! I love u Billy!!,” he wrote.

Last month, “Old Town Road (Remix)” became the longest-running No. 1 single in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song broke the record that was tied between Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day,” and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber.

This year’s edition of the Country Music Awards airs November 13 on ABC.