That headline's quite a mouthful, eh? It's all true though: Lil Nas X's "Industry Baby" is partially produced by Kanye West (himself busy with that DONDA business) and was first revealed via a striking video that sees Lil Nas taking on Nike over the drama stirred up by MSCHF's "Satan Shoes." Phew. Now the full video is here and Lil Nas may have outdone himself.
The fallout from the so-called Satan Shoes, which saw Nike shut down distribution of MSCFD's cheeky sneaker, was one of 2021's Major Internet Moments, as the controversy dominated headlines in March and even spilled into the early summer. By then, Lil Nas was trolling pearl-clutching scolds with more "satanic" style that coincided with his "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" video. In the end, the hubbub (and Nike C&D) hardly slowed down Lil Nas, who comfortably breezed into summer (remember those multiple major BET Awards 'fits?).
Not that Lil Nas forgot about the springtime dust-up, which inspired the video for "Industry Baby." The video takes a very Klumpsian turn when it's revealed that Lil Nas X stars as himself, the judge, his own bemulleted lawyer, the homophobic prosecution, a jury member, and probably a few more characters we haven't even seen yet. The brief, two-minute teaser gets off some jokes before Lil Nas X is sentenced to prison (Montero State — get it?) and we get some credits.
The bouncey, horn-filled "Industry Baby" also features rapper Jack Harlow and production from Take A Daytrip. Head to freelilnasx.com to stream it via your preferred service.
Lil Nas' new track also aligns with his latest charitable endeavor. In partnership with The Bail Project, his Bail X Fund is a publicly-funded initiative that helps pay often arbitrary bail costs — a concern that disproportionately affects Black Americans.
