Rapper and professional shitposter Lil Nas X has dropped a teaser for his upcoming single “Industry Baby” ft. Jack Harlow and the clip appears to be a prophetic dramatisation of his lawsuit from Nike, plus a response to dickheads panicking about his sexuality, all rolled into one.
The whole drama actually came off the back of his last single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”. To mark its release in March of this year, Lil Nas X released a set of unauthorised, custom Nikes known as the “Satan Shoes” which featured an inverted cross, a pentagram, a Biblical passage and – apparently – one drop of human blood.
Nike promptly sued the artist for trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution and unfair competition. However, the song itself predates the Nike dispute by a good five months, as it was first teased on Twitter in October of 2020.
That’s a whole lotta context for what’s essentially a two-minute music video teaser, but it’s worth it.
The scene is set in a court room, with Lil Nas X playing himself, as well as the judge and the lawyers on both sides.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this is about much more than shoes,” one of the lawyers declares in the teaser.
“Mr Nas X – are you gay?”
To this, the rapper replies by asking what on Earth this has to do with shoes.
“Let me rephrase the question: Do your momma know you gay?” the lawyer doubles-down.
After Nas says “yes”, a juror (also played by the rapper) says: “Lock him up and throw away the key.”
— pussy (@LilNasX) July 19, 2021
The artist later clarified that most of the clip will actually be set after the trial we just witnessed. Whether that means it will be set in prison, or whether he’ll have busted out of jail, or whether it’ll be some kind of fantasy/demonic setting that’s altogether different.
But, like, you never know what Lil Nas X is gonna treat us to next.
Either way, we’re in for a bloody treat of a music video, if his previous efforts weren’t already enough to go by.
As part of the hype, Lil Nas X also released a bunch of pretty handsome-looking mugshots, accompanied by the URL: freelilnasx.com.
https://t.co/6fJGZqH1qs pic.twitter.com/yxmkLe9pfR
— pussy (@LilNasX) July 19, 2021
And, as always, the rapper took the chance to retweet a bunch of fans’ memes and reactions.
This also included a response to claims from a Britney Spears stan account about his video somehow making a mockery of Spears’ ongoing conservatorship trial.
“Baby this had nothing to do with Britney. I 100% support her getting her freedom back,” he said in a quote-tweet.
Some people will grasp at anything.
The full clip will drop on June 23 US time, so maybe bet for June 24 in Australia. You’ll be able to watch it here.
