Culture

Lil Nas X accepts Kid Cudi collaboration offer after backlash over Black male artists

Lil Nas X posing on the red carpet and Kid Cudi performing on stage

Lil Nas X and Kid Cudi could be about to collaborate. (Emma McIntyre/Getty/Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage)

Lil Nas X has accepted Kid Cudi’s offer to collaborate after he faced criticism over a lack of Black male artists on his debut album.

The “Industry Baby” singer and rapper revealed the tracklisting for his debut album Montero on Wednesday (1 September), with Elton John, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Miley Cyrus set to appear on the record.

But it wasn’t long before Twitter users started to criticise Lil Nas X over the lack of Black male artists appearing on the album.

One person tweeted: “Lil Nas X’s album has no Black male guest lol. Just women and white men. No agenda tho.”

Naturally, Lil Nas X responded. “Maybe a lot of them just don’t wanna work with me,” he tweeted.

Kid Cudi wants to ‘frolic in rose gardens’ with Lil Nas X

Thankfully, the exchange seems to have led Lil Nas to collaborate with trailblazing rapper, singer and actor, Kid Cudi.

Cudi quickly weighed into the furore, writing on Twitter that he was prepared to work with Lil Nas X and “frolic in rose gardens w u singin about my pain”.

Lil Nas was apparently on board. The chart-topper shared Kid Cudi’s tweet, hinting that the rapper could yet appear on a deluxe version of his debut album Montero.

It’s fair to say that fans are ready for the collaboration – Lil Nas’s tweet has been liked more than 85,000 times, while many rushed to share their excitement at the prospect of Lil Nas X and Kid Cudi on the same song.

The news comes after a busy few days for Lil Nas X. The singer sent fans into a frenzy on Tuesday (31 August) when he unveiled the album artwork for Montero.

The intricate, highly-detailed artwork shows Lil Nas suspended in mid-air, entirely naked, against a background that appears to be inspired by the Bible and Renaissance art.

Just 24 hours later, he unveiled the tracklisting for the album, which is due to be released on 17 September.

Lil Nas X had a rapid rise to fame in 2019 when his single “Old Town Road” spent a record-setting 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard chart in the United States.

Since then, his career has gone from strength to strength. Earlier this year, he angered conservatives and topped charts across the world with “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”.

The music video for the song saw Lil Nas sliding down a pole to hell where he gave Satan a lapdance.

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