Lil Nas X’s Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
Lil Nas X knows how to turn heads — whether it’s from how he dresses to what he says on social media. Born Montero Lamar Hill in Georgia on April…
Lil Nas X attends the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording AcademyLil Nas X knows how to turn heads -- whether it's from how he dresses to what he says on social media. Born Montero Lamar Hill in Georgia on April 9, 1999, he later dropped out of college to pursue his music career.
(Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
By 2018, Lil Nas X started writing and recording songs in his closet. He adopted the stage name Lil Nas X as a tribute to the rapper Nas. X comes from the Roman numeral 10 and the number of years he thought it would take to find fame. He added Lil in front of his name to be funny because he said "Every new rapper’s name is Lil, Lil, Lil. ‘What if I was Lil Nas?"
Hailing from a conservative upbringing just outside Atlanta, Georgia, the rapper thought he was going to take the secret of his sexuality to his grave. He would later publicly come out as gay on the last day of Pride Month in June 2019.
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On December 3, 2018, Lil Nas X released the country rap song "Old Town Road" online for free when he was 19. He bought the beat for the song anonymously on a beat-selling platform called BeatStars for $30. The song samples Nine Inch Nails' 2008 track, "34 Ghosts IV." The song that gave him superstardom was recorded at a "humble" Atlanta studio on their "$20 Tuesdays," taking less than an hour!
To promote the track, LNX made over one hundred memes that went viral on TikTok as part of a #Yeehaw Challenge. Millions of users posted videos of themselves dressed as a wrangler or cowgirl, with most #yeehaw videos using "Old Town Road" as the song for their clips. When LNX wrangled himself country legend Billy Ray Cyrus on the remix version of the track, he was the "only country dude" he knew because of Hannah Montana.
Since then, LNX has become a hero among the queer community, an award-winning artist, and one of the most influential people in the world.
Take a look below at Lil Nas X's most iconic fashion moments:
10. Reel To Reel: Lil Nas X
Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording AcademyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 24: Lil Nas X attends Reel To Reel: Lil Nas X at The GRAMMY Museum on January 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
9. Pre-GRAMMY Gala
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesBEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Lil Nas X attends the Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honoring Julie Greenwald & Craig Kallman at The Beverly Hilton on February 04, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
8. The 2019 BET Awards
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Lil Nas X poses in the press room at the 2019 BET Awards on June 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
7. Thom Browne 2023 New York Fashion Week
Rob Kim/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 14: Lil Nas X attends the Thom Browne fashion show during New York Fashion Week at The Shed on February 14, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
6. The CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund 2019 Awards
Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Lil Nas X attends the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund 2019 Awards at Cipriani South Street on November 04, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
5. The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 13: Lil Nas X attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
4. WSJ Magazine 2021 Innovator Awards
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 01: Lil Nas X attends WSJ Magazine 2021 Innovator Awards at Museum of Modern Art on November 01, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
3. 2021 MTV Video Music Awards
Jason Kempin/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Lil Nas X attends the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
2. 10th Annual LACMA ART+FILM GALA
Presley Ann/Getty Images for LACMALOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 06: Lil Nas X, wearing Gucci, attends the 10th Annual LACMA ART+FILM GALA honoring Amy Sherald, Kehinde Wiley, and Steven Spielberg presented by Gucci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 06, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for LACMA)
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
1. Tom Ford Ombré Leather Parfum Launch
Rich Fury/Getty ImagesWEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 02: Lil Nas X attends the launch of Tom Ford's Ombré Leather Parfum on December 02, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Lil Nas X's Most Iconic Fashion Moments Ranked
