Lil Nas X is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and exciting pop stars at the moment. He’s also one of the funniest and smartest—constant vitriol in regard to racism and homophobia aren’t easy to bear, especially when people with so much hate have access to the internet. Regardless, when malicious trolls target him, X trolls back with style and good ass music. For his latest single “Industry Baby,” following the vulnerable “Sun Goes Down” and the sexy “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” he not only gives us another unforgettable visual but an anthem (I do not use this word lightly) for anyone fighting against the mental strife of ostracism or malice against one’s identity.
In a tweet, Nas X shared a note that he wrote to his younger self, stating “I wrote a song for us. I know sometimes you feel like it’s all downhill from here. I know your sexuality has made you feel like an outcast amongst your peers. I know going from having the biggest song in the world to being trapped in your apartment is weighing heavy on you. And I know if you hear the phrase ‘one hit wonder’ one more time you might combust. But I need you to keep going.” This statement, track, and subversive, wonderful video are all the more reason to uphold Lil Nas X’s reign on the charts.
His prison-centered music video also comes with comments about the fight against mass incarceration through the Bail X Fund, which you can donate to here. “Music is the way I fight for liberation. It’s my act of resistance. But I also know that true freedom requires real change in how the criminal justice system works. Starting with cash bail. This isn’t just theoretical for me. It’s personal. I know the pain that incarceration brings to a family. And I know the disproportionate impact that cash bail has on Black Americans,” he said.
Watch the video below.
