In 2019, Lil Nas X made musical history–in more ways than one. Not only did his country-rap smash “Old Town Road” spend a record-setting 19 weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100 pop singles chart, but in the middle of its chart triumph, on the final day of Gay Pride Month, Nas X, then 20, came out as gay.
The best part: His career continued to skyrocket, unscathed. Months later, he scored six 2020 Grammy nominations, including Album and Record of the Year, as well as Best New Artist.Whether it’s a sign of increased acceptance for the LGBTQ community overall, queer visibility in music is indeed gaining in the new decade – both on the charts and at the Grammys, where Nas X ended up winning two gongs in 2020.