Congratulations Lil Nas X! The rapper just broke the record for the most consecutive weeks in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. His song, “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, has been number one for 17 weeks in a row, and we’re seriously impressed.
The 20-year-old took to Instagram to share his excitement over the major achievement and to reflect on how far he’s come.
“Last year in October, as a struggling artist starting to lose faith in what I could be, I went looking for beats on YouTube. I remember clicking on so many generic sounding beats, trying to find the right one for me. When suddenly I came across a country-trap sounding masterpiece,” he wrote. “I immediately knew I would make something special out of it! My sister told me I had little time left before I had to leave her house after being there for months promoting my music online and not helping her out much. I was so upset. I used it as motivation for the song. I jokingly/seriously saw myself as a loner cowboy needing to run away from it all. I went out on my sister’s back porch and listened to the beat OVER AND OVER AND OVER. Then it came to me! In my best singing voice I sung, ‘YEAHHH I’M GONNA TAKE MY HORSE TO THE OLD TOWN ROAD I’M GONNA RIDEEEE ‘TIL I CAN’T NO MORE.’ I loved it already.”
“I started to work on it EVERY SINGLE DAY,” he continued. “It needed to be funny, it needed to be catchy, it needed to be hip hop, it needed to be country and it needed to be short! By the time I was finished setting it up, I was out of my sister’s crib and at my brothers place. On December 2, I went into the studio and recorded ‘Old Town Road’ and put it out the exact same day. Did I know it would become the longest running number one song of all time? NO! But I am so thankful that this blessing has been placed upon me. This song has changed my life and the way I see the world around me in less than a year. Thank you to every single person who has been apart of this journey. As I said before, it’s just the beginning!”
The previous record was held by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men‘s tune, “One Sweet Day,” which held the number one spot of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart for 16 weeks in 1995. It was later matched by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber in 2017.
Mariah took to Twitter to let Lil Nas X know just how proud of him she was.
“Sending love and congrats to @LilNasX on breaking one of the longest running records in music history,” she wrote alongside a picture of her legit handing over a torch to the artist. “We’ve been blessed to hold this record with a song that means a great deal to @BoyzIIMen and myself and has touched so many. Keep living your best life!”
wowwww thank you so much mariah! you are a legend and an icon and i’m blessed to even have you acknowledging me right now! growing up to your music & now having you talk to me directly is unreal! ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/b9v5JEmFIy
— nope (@LilNasX) July 30, 2019
“Wow. Thank you so much, Mariah! You are a legend and an icon and I’m blessed to even have you acknowledging me right now!” the rapper replied. “Growing up to your music and now having you talk to me directly is unreal!”
We seriously couldn’t be happier for Lil Nas X.
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