NEW YORK • Country-rap megastar Lil Nas X (photo) is riding off into the sunset, at least for the moment, posting on Twitter that he will take a break and cancel two shows following a meteoric rise in the charts.
His now-ubiquitous record-breaking mega-hit Old Town Road – which marries twangy banjo with thumping bass – catapulted the previously unknown artist into the celebrity stratosphere.
The song was controversially removed from Billboard's Hot Country chart in March after Billboard determined that it did not "merit inclusion" on the American chart despite its references to standard country music elements. The move sparked a backlash that came to a head in April with Lil Nas X's release of a remix of the song featuring country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.
The remix then broke the decades-old record for longest reign over the Billboard Hot 100, the industry's most closely watched singles chart, holding the spot for 19 weeks and fending off advances from pop juggernauts including Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.
Last Friday, Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Hill, posted on Twitter that "it's been a wild last 7 months and im ready to take a little time off".
He also sent his apologies to "everyone attending twitchcon or the sandbox music festival, i will not be there. i love u guys anRead More – Source
