In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lil Nas X has reportedly revealed he took shrooms while writing MONTERO. The album is an extremely intimate, close look into Nas X’s personal life. After his single, “Old Town Road,” the rapper reportedly felt under pressure from people calling him a “one hit wonder.” This, among other controversies, made it difficult for the rapper to focus on his next album. Taking psychedelics for the first time was evidently the breakthrough he needed. Nas X says the shrooms gave him the comfort he needed to reach a new level of intimacy with his music, to “push past lots of lingering feelings of self-consciousness.” According to him, this was the first time he has been able to incorporate his personal life experiences into his songs.
Nas X put a whole lot of heart and soul into every advertisement, and boy does he have one wild soul. The eccentric nature of each ad really calls into question whether Nas X was only on shrooms while writing his album. However they came about, Montero gave fans a wonderfully trippy ride from conception to birth, because yes, this was an album born, not created.
The story of Montero grew day by day in the months leading up to the album’s official release. Every piece of marketing was wonderful to observe because it expanded upon the foundation built by its predecessors; Nas X really was creating something as involved as the MCU in miniature. Take for example, the way he revealed the release date for the album:
Nas X decided to write a continuation for the song “Industry Baby,” which itself was a song about his struggle in creating MONTERO and overcoming the people who doubted him. In doing so, he projects intimacy and confidence. Referring to himself as a “talentless homosexual” is funny because now the entire world knows that it isn’t true.
I think by far by favorite advertisement was The Montero Show, because it was a terrifically succinct way to identify the kind of relationship Nas X has with this album: that of an interviewer asking probing, intimate questions of a distraught human being in a very public setting. However, the most touching ad is undoubtedly the Baby Registry of Charities, a moving act raising awareness for both MONTERO and the social issues at it, and Nas X’s, core.
A Uniquely Intimate Production Style
It would be remiss to discuss the success of MONTERO without talking about Take a Daytrip. The duo of producers claim their success is based on a foundation of friendship. Denzel Baptiste and David Biral develop a personal relationship with their clients. Eventually, they stop being “clients: and instead become friends. In an interview with Billboard, they claim this is the secret to their quality productions, “As we build those people up, they bring us with them and we pull them up. It’s become a ladder of not skipping steps. In those situations, you’re dealing with people who are your equals.”
This uniquely intimate approach to music production was paramount to the creation of MONTERO. The duo created a safe space for Nas X, allowing him to be intimate with his music. When Nas X started taking shroom they stayed by his side, sober, to ensure his safety. According to Take a Daytrip, the creative process began with them writing music. Once they had compiled some musical notes, they played them for Lil Nas X, who then wrote lyrics for the particular movements that spoke to him. In some instances of particular inspiration, they say that Nas X joined right in and freestyled the entire song on the spot.
Continuing Intimacy
MONTERO has been a resounding success, but despite finally achieving his dreams Lil Nas X shows no signs of slowing down. His Instagram and Twitter have only grown wilder and wackier. Most recently, he shared his Halloween costume, “He Who Must Be Called By Your Name.”
Whatever his past reservations, Nas X is no longer afraid to be himself or to share his personal story in a public setting. We at FMHipHop are excited to see what comes out of Lil Nas X next. And maybe need to ask for the number of his dealer.
