Niccjade Reeves-Alhark
Editor-in-Chief
Ever since the release of MONTERO (Call My By Your Name) in late March, Lil Nas X has been promoting his self-named debut album, MONTERO. The album was released this September on Friday, the 17th. The album has 15 tracks, including the singles MONTERO(Call My By Your Name) and INDUSTRY BABY. People featured on the album are Jack Harlow, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Miley Cyrus, and Elton John.
The album starts with the famous MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name), it establishes that the world of MONTERO is full of passion and want, highlighting an enthusiasm for love. It ends with AM I DREAMING with Miley Cyrus, a solemn song about not wanting to be forgotten and worries about having a lack of relevance.
My top three songs, in no particular order, are DEAD RIGHT NOW, THAT’S WHAT I WANT, and LIFE AFTER SALEM.
DEAD RIGHT NOW is the second track of MONTERO, it is about Nas confronting the people who were never there for him in the first place and are just now coming back once he has become famous and rich. It starts off with dreamy chords and pushes forward with bold trumpets, setting the image for the visualizer. This is one of my favorite songs because it is a look into Nas’ life and how he got to where he is now, his struggles with him and his family as a gay man and an artist are shown with this song, cutting into his mindset and pouring out some of his stories. I can also relate to not wanting to talk to anyone ever again, some people are genuinely not worth stressing about in life and it is better to cut them off than deal with them forever.
THAT’S WHAT I WANT, the 4th track on the album is an upbeat song that is about Nas wanting, wishing, and hoping for love. I love the music video for this song because not only is it a very compelling and emotional story, but it has references to the very well-known film Brokeback Mountain. Released in 2005, Brokeback Mountain was one of the many groundbreaking queer films that did not fall into the stereotypes of the LGBTQ+ community. Aside from the music video, another reason I like this song is how relatable the lyrics are. When I first watched the music video I cried because I understood what Nas was trying to say. The raw emotion coming from both the music video and the song itself shows this vulnerable side of Nas we have never seen before in such detail, it is so understandable as to why he holds this album so close to his heart.
LIFE AFTER SALEM is the 15th track on the album. It is a melancholic rock ballad, in which Nas sings about wanting to know what an old lover wants from him, scarred, hurt, and ready for everything to be over with. The title of this song is a reference to the Salem witch trials that occurred, according to HISTORY, in the spring of 1692. Witch hunts nowadays are used to refer to angry and aggressive mobs of people going after one person, typically a celebrity, ie. cancel culture. Since almost the beginning of his career, there have been several moments when the internet attacked Nas for who he was, his music, and his actions. One of the most notable moments was when the music video for MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) came out, many people were enraged and disapproved of it immensely, insulting Nas and his work. The constant witch trials might have changed some of the relationships Nas had with other people, including romantic ones. These sudden changes have affected Nas’ opinions on love strongly and it shows through a repeated question throughout the song, “Why don’t you just take what you want from me?”.
MONTERO as a whole album is an amazing debut case and showcases what Lil Nas X can do on his own and with others. I enjoyed listening to this album so much and am excited to see what he will come up with next.
Image Credit: Genius
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