We’re right in the midst of the hypestorm currently surrounding Montero, the debut studio album from Lil Nas X. (Who is firmly coming into the far side of his efforts to become something significantly more than just “the ‘Old Town Road’ guy” at this point.) In addition to some don’t-fuck-with-kids-raised-on-the-internet funny billboards that went up this week to herald the release of the album, Lil Nas X also dropped a new video tonight, for single “Thats What I Want,” invoking a little Brokeback Mountain—and some very steamy sexual interludes—to promote the album.
Directed by Stillz, the video gets into its story quickly, showing the evolving relationship between Lil Nas’ character and a fellow football player at “Montero University,” who have significantly more going on than a little locker room rivalry. It’s all going pretty well, including a very Brokeback interlude with some familiar cowboy garb, until the reveal that the musician’s paramour has a wife and kids at home. But don’t worry, Lil Nas X fans: He’s ready to marry his music instead, wielding a guitar handed to him by—who else—Billy Porter, who we hope at least got a nice lunch out of coming by to appear in two seconds of Lil Nas X’s new music video.
Not that you need sate yourself with a single video: Montero itself also arrived tonight, the first major release from an artist who’s carved out a powerful identity for himself in the two years since he released his catchy little ditty about where the horses are. (They’re in the back.) The album contains contributions from Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Jack Harlow, and Miley Cyrus; it features production from Omer Fedi, Roy Lenzo, Take A Daytrip, and, yes, Kanye West, who wrote and produced on the Harlow-featuring “Industry Baby.” Montero is available on all the major streaming services.