From latex and leather to high-flying wig styling and horror prosthetics, plus a certain a singular sexual expression with Satan, Lil Nas X’s just ‘dropped’ “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” sets the compass for music video in a new direction.
In the more fanciful videos of late—Cardi B’s “WAP,” DoJo Cat’s “Streets,” and indeed across this new clip from Lil Nas X—fantasy wardrobe and confectionary CGI-effects rule the day. And as we see so often in many recent videos, controversy also bubbles up, certainly in the case of what Lil Nas X (real name Montero Lamar Hill) gives the viewer here.
Critics of the Tanu Muino directed clip that was released last week voiced displeasure with the “Old Town Road,” singer, pole dancing into hell and lap dancing with Satan, as the fact that “Old Town Road” was a song that made Lil Nas X very popular and saw him performing plenty for kids. And just this week Nike filed a lawsuit claiming that the “Satan Shoes” Lil Nas X wears in this video, created from a collaboration the rapper managed with NYC art collection MSCHF, are modified Nike Air Max 97’s, and feature the famous Nike “SWOOSH” on them.
Lil Nas X has not yet addressed Nike, but did have this to say to his critics: “there was no system involved. I made the decision to create the music video. i am an adult. i am not gonna spend my entire career catering to your children. that is your job.”
And to put things in even more specific perspective, he added: “there is a mass shooting every week that our government does nothing to stop,” “me sliding down a cgi pole isn’t what’s destroying society.”
Lil Nas X has teased “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” online for months. It even appeared in a LogiTech Super Bowl ad this year. The song’s title is a reference to the Oscar-winning gay romance Call Me By Your Name. Lil Naz X, who came out last year on the last day of Pride month, is undoubtedly declaring his pride over his sexuality in the many scenes here, from lap-dancing with the king of the underworld, to wearing haute couture, dreadlocks and some of the most scrumptious wigs a male rapper has dared wear yet in a video.
As you can see pictures and in the video.
The album MONTERO is set to be released this summer.
