Any news about Lil Nas X’s continuing success always makes us happy… but this latest achievement is particularly satisfying. Yesterday, the gay rapper surged ahead of DaBaby in Spotify’s ‘Most monthly listeners’ rankings.
As of August 10, Lil Nas X had 52.01million monthly listeners, while DaBaby had 51.88million monthly listeners. This makes Lil Nas X the male rapper with the most monthly listeners at the moment (Drake has 51.39million and Post Malone has 49.69million).
What makes Lil Nas X’s achievement all the more remarkable is that he has yet to drop his debut album. The bulk of his current streams can be laid at the fact that he has two singles in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100: ‘Industry Baby’ at number seven and ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ at number eight. The tracks have been hits all around the world.
For anyone amazed that DaBaby has more monthly listeners than Drake, many of the 29-year-old’s current streams derive from his recent collaboration on Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ remix, which sits at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Dua Lipa herself is the fourth ‘most monthly listeners’ artist, behind Justin Bieber, The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran. The highest placed female rapper is Doja Cat, with 58.39million (seventh on the overall list).
Of course, this list can change month by month depending on artists releasing big new hits, but according to Lil Nas X, who reacted to the news on Twitter, this is the highest number of monthly listeners he’s ever achieved: “This is insane. this is the most i’ve ever had in my career. thank u to everybody listening.”
wow this is insane. this is the most i’ve ever had in my career. thank u to everybody listening. 🤍 https://t.co/JbCmp8QFN3
— nope 👶🏾 (@LilNasX) August 10, 2021
DaBaby made recent headlines for a homophobic rant he delivered, blasting people with HIV, at a concert in Miami last month. He subsequently saw several festival appearances canceled. His contributions to several tracks, including one with Kanye West, were also pulled from streaming services.
His comments were widely criticized by the likes of Dua Lipa, Madonna, and Elton John. DaBaby posted a lengthy apology to his Instagram last week, saying he needed education and guidance. However, that apology was removed over the weekend, leading many to question its sincerity.
Related: DaBaby is apparently no longer sorry for homophobic remarks, deletes apology to LGBTQ community
Lil Nas X fans were delighted at his latest achievement.
can’t believe you topped dababy
— Sam Stryker (@sbstryker) August 10, 2021
I love the shade of this it gives me life the gays are winning and alleged straights are losing their minds
— bey (@JayStarMilli) August 10, 2021
if god hates the gays why do we stay winning?
— Chimera (@ChimeraTriplett) August 10, 2021
*Lil Nas X surpassed DaBaby to become Spotify’s most listened to male rapper*
Da baby at home surrounded by his minions: pic.twitter.com/5lirnoT7bN
— Stacey Harkey (@StaceyHarkey) August 11, 2021
Related: Miley Cyrus reaches out to DaBaby, says it’s better to talk than cancel straight away
Kangol2
Lil Nas X does it again. This triumph is particularly sweet. Topping DaBaby is about as poetic as it gets too.
Chrisk
Nice but they’re almost tied. All this proves is that the media attention to him has worked very well. He most likely wouldn’t even be on the list if not for that.
LumpyPillows
Rap is essentially vile. For the most part it is also talentless, with some very rare exceptions. Lil Nas X is an exception – very talented. 50 Cent Piece (Spy) and Dumb Baby are side show acts.
Den
Undoubtedly there are some vile rappers. But you cannot simply dismiss it as essentially vile anymore than you can dismiss pop music as essentially insipid, just because the practitioners of both who get the most airplay are generally bad.
The roots of rap go back to the talking blues of the early 20th century and the spoken word pieces of the 1950’s. Some trace it back to specific performance traditions in Africa. It has current practitioners in every language, some tackling interesting topics in insightful and amusing ways. And it has had a pervasive effect on both popular and “high” culture.
But obviously there is way too much misogyny, homophobia and anti-social content in a lot of the stuff that gets airplay. And a lot of empty pap. But there is good stuff as well not nearly as rare as you think.
nobmuncha4bears
Looking at the August list, Doja Cat is *the* top rapper at #7, regardless of sex or gender.
justgeo
Garbage about garbage enough about the bullshit.
rural queer socialist
Well! Dearie poo poohs! …
That is just lovely lulu to know!
It will inspire all those queer-as-folks Afghans –
that the Dem White House abandoned to the Taliban – as they wait for the be-headings, and throwing off high buildings, and other authoritarian ideological Muslim tortures and purges to begin?!
Has anyone seen and heard Lil Nas (is that short for ‘nasty ass’?) say anything about the Taliban or other queer-killing authoritarian ideological Muslims? For that matter has anyone seen or heard Honorable Mr/Ms/Their Ihlan Omar demand that the Taliban respect and free women and girls (cis, trans, and alt) and queer people?
Have anyone seen or heard of any national, or state, or even local queer organizations speaking out against the Taliban? and other authoritarian ideological Muslims?
What’s up with that?
Well Queerty,
how’Z’about you get your nasty asses in gear and report answers to those question?