After two eventful years in the making and some very interesting promotional material, American rapper Lil Nas X dropped his debut album, “Montero” over the weekend. With an explosion back onto the scene after his recent success, he proves that he can nail not only one genre, but create a mixed bag of pieces that cater to many different musical tastes. “Montero” cements Montero Lamar Hill’s place as an upcoming icon of pop-rap, after many previous chart-topping pieces such as the classic “Old Town Road” which saw the beginning of his rise to stardom.
After listening, his range becomes immediately obvious, swinging from light rhythms and acoustic guitar to distorted hard rock within the space of a few tracks. Though, I do see some irony in one of the tracks being produced by Kanye West, considering his recent album and DaBaby scandal in Hill’s openly accepting sphere.
The album also cements that he knows how to reach an audience’s heartstrings, as he reflects on past traumatic experiences through the music, such as the sorrowful “Void.” It’s a deeply heartfelt contrast to the upbeat “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby”. The wide range of collaborative subjects on the album also brings an interesting touch, as it features everyone from Miley Cyrus, to Doja Cat and the legend Elton John.
Despite being slightly skeptical going into my first listen, the album ultimately reinforces what many are saying as Hill continues his upward trajectory into iconic stardom. How can you NOT love this music?
“a mixed bag of pieces which cater to many different musical tastes.”
