Cowboy Bop: Trap Song "Old Town Road" Is the Unlikely Country Hip Hop Hit of 2019

"Old Town Road" says howdy and the world is very confused about what to do.

No one in their wildest dreams would predict that 2019 would be the year that a country and trap crossover became a true viral sensation.

But Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" proved us all wrong with its lyrics about riding your trusty steed and a banjo-and-808 beat to get you yeehaw-ing.

(Update: The original video was removed, so we've had to add the big budget music video instead...)

The track, set to Red Dead Redemption 2 imagery in its video, features lyrics about horse tack, matching your black boots and cowboy hat as well as riding horses through the valley.

But all that was not 'country' enough to save it from the fury of the genre's fans when American music charts organisation Billboard decided to remove it from their Hot Country Songs ranking.

A Billboard spokesperson explained to Rolling Stone that the imagery wasn't enough.

"When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition," they stated.

"While 'Old Town Road' incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today's country music to chart in its current version."

Many were convinced it was due to the fact that Lil Nas X is black and the persistent stereotype that country music audiences are white and racist.

Genius received a statement from Billboard that the decision wasn't related to the artist's race.

"Billboard's decision to take the song off of the country chart had absolutely nothing to do with the race of the artist," they explained.

But despite being struck from the country charts, "Old Town Road" found its audience on Twitter and, despite the haters, it's now sitting at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 (it's yet to chart in Australia).

Lil Nas X - Old Town Road
Best country song ever 🔊🔥 pic.twitter.com/M0GPmHhDvt

— Lori Loughlin aka Aunt Becky (@kalabasaskrumbs) March 27, 2019

Me playing this song for the 15th time in a row:
⚪️─────────────
0:01 -1:53
Old Town Road
Lil Nas X

◄◄⠀▐▐ ⠀►►

🔈───────────⚪️🔊 pic.twitter.com/RODoZRV9Nz

— bp !! (@brookepoyer) March 19, 2019

 

*Old Town Road starts playing*

Texans: pic.twitter.com/prZmyHUgzD

— Cameron Hastings (@CamHastingss) March 27, 2019

*listens to Old Town Road by Lil Nas once*@DragonflyJonez and @LaJethroJenkins:

pic.twitter.com/5M6v6bNLuT

— Pablo Escobarner ❄️ (@PabloEscobarner) March 27, 2019

if old town road can't be a country hit then explain this: pic.twitter.com/1CKcwll74f

— anal taco bell (@sadqueef) March 28, 2019

I'm ready for the new frontier of country trap. 

Header Image: Instagram (@lilnasx)