Background and cultural contexts
Read this Vox feature and podcast transcript on Lil Nas X and Old Town Road. Make sure you read the whole thing - including the podcast transcript - then answer the following questions:
1) What is the big debate regarding Old Town Road and genre?
No one is sure if the song counts as a country song or a rap song
2) What do you learn about the background of Lil Nas X and Old Town Road from the podcast transcript?
- He is a 20-year-old rapper from Atlanta.
- his birth name is Montero Hill
- joined soundcloud July 24th, 2018
3) What is the Yeehaw agenda?
This woman, Bri Malandro, tweeted about how a lot of black artists are getting interested in sort of the country aesthetic. His song started trending on tik tok, which curated a challenge for people to participate in. The movement celebrates, commemorates and amplifies the presense of black cowboys and cowgirls in popular culture.
4) How did the story become a debate about race in America?
This is the point in this story where this becomes about something bigger than country trap and TikTok and fun internet memes because you’ve got a black artist in America who’s charting in a very white music space and his song gets quietly removed by a very powerful, influential organization.
Genius reached out and of course Billboard said, “Oh no, it has nothing to do with his race, it has everything to do with the song and the lack of country elements in it.” It immediately set off conversation, especially in the black Twitter community.
5) How does Charlie Harding sum up the whole thing in the final part of the podcast transcript?
Lil Nas becomes extremely recognised in the country scene with the help of Billy Ray Cyrus, a country music legend and after this his career was set aflout.
Now read this Salon feature on Lil Nas X and LGBTQ+ identity. Answer the following questions:
1) How did Lil Nas X announce his sexuality on social media?
He announced it on Twiter in relation to the release of his song 'c7osure'.
2) Why does the article describe Old Town Road as 'genre-blurring'?
It combines the conventions of hip-hop rap and the country genre
3) How has country music demonstrated the social change taking place in American culture and society?
There has been a shift in the music industry with the mixing of genres, this multi-blend has made its way into the 21st century music scene. This demonstrates how society has shifted from the binaries that controlled society. Now people are able and encouraged to think outside the box as it's seen as cool and quirky; you're respected for it . Even genres that are very different are blurred together, this portrays the cultural and social changes in the music landscape in America; where you are applauded for thinking outside the box.
Old Town Road textual analysis
Watch the video again and answer the following questions. Use your notes from our in-class analysis to help you:
1) How are narrative features used in the music video? Apply narrative theory here.
Some narrative features used are:
Propps character types:
Hero- Lil Nas X
Villain- man with a shotgun
Helper - Billy Ray Cyrus
Damsel in distress - the white man's daughter
Non - linear narrative : time travel
Todorov's equilibrium:
Disruption: Lil Nas X getting chased by the police
Recognition: "The last time I was here they weren't so welcoming"
Repair/resolution: Jumps through the tunnel
New equilibrium: time travels to the present day and is able to be his true self
Binary opposition:
Race - Billy Ray and Lil Nas X
Race on horse back Vs car; separate narrative
Police/criminal chase
2) What examples of genre conventions and intertextuality can you find in the video?
Country genre conventions: costume, line dancing, old country film
Hip-hop genre: "bullriding and boobies", "wrangler"," cowboy hat from Gucci", "Mozzarati sports car", "Fendi sports bra" , car itself, Rico Nasty's chain
Intertextuality: Yee Yee juice(reference to Yeehaw movement), celeb cameos, tik tok dances(the woah and hit the folks, which came from the Dubsmash era and has been carried on into other online dancing platforms), car Vs horse race(back to the future reference), "You're with me now, everything's gonna be aright"( reference to country music chart controversy)
3) How are technical codes used to create meanings in the video? Analyse camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene and make specific reference to moments in the video.
Editing:
- The editing is very fast paced, cutting from, scene to scene, moving the story along faster.
Camera Work:
- There is an establishing shot that zooms into the action of the scene, where lil Nas X is escaping capture by the Sheriffs on horseback.
- The establishing shot begins in a small camera frame and then widens to fit modern day screen sizes.
- A tracking shot is used in the 1886 'Old Town Road' scene, keeping in frame the Sheriff team.
- There is then a close up of lil Nas X on horseback and crane shot capturing the Sheriff team and lil Nas X.
- A full shot is used to capture Billy Ray and Lil Nas X and their surroundings
Mise-en-scene:
C - The entire video both Billy Ray and Lil Nas are dressed in cowboy attire and are completely out of place in the modern world(2019) where most are wearing plain t-shirts, tracksuits and jeans.
L - The lighting in 1886 is natural with bright yellow sunlight across them and in 2019 the lighting is a normal white light, illustrating clear sky's.
A - There are many celebrity cameos in the video including: Billy Ray Cyrus, Lil Nas X himself, Rico Nasty, Chris Rock, Diplo, Vince Staples and HAHA Davis
M - The makeup here is not so obvious. There is the effect of the grass and dirt on Nas when he falls into the present day, but other than that there is no obvious sightings of makeup
P - Some props used are: the money back, Billy Ray's water satchel, the gun, the basketball, the hose, the wrench, scooter, skipping rope, horse, cars, burger on plate, phone, wired headphones, money, bike, race flag
S - There are two settings; 1886 Old Town Road and the 2019 Old Town Road
4) How are representations of race and ethnicity constructed in the video?
Black men are presented in a position of power(sheriff team) - subverting the stereotype of black men as criminals
Black man as a criminal(Lil Nas X) - reinforcing that stereotype
Gun pointed at Lil Nas by white man - legacy of slavery, the systematic oppression of black men under the white mans thumb
"You're with me now"(Billy Ray) - White saviour complex
Slave figure - "the faithful field- hand... attached and devoted to 'his master' "(Hall 1995, 'Black characterisation in American media') - Billy Ray and Lil Nas, even in the modern world they come together and never leave each others side.
Humorous(Hall 1995, 'Black characterisation in American media') - "You have a good day, get off my car." - The need for black men to be funny, overcompensating for the fact they actually have no substance in themselves therefore degrading anyone and everyone else to hide their inadequacy
5) What other representations can you find in the video? You may wish to comment on gender, sexuality or America/American culture.
Gender/Sexuality:
- Billy Ray Cyrus in a pink suit, although he is a straight man this conveys how comfortable he is in his sexuality.
- Lil Nas X, wearing diamonds on his suit and a dangling earring,something that manly women wear, depicting the fluidity in his sexuality
American Culture:
Lil Nas X is wearing dimonty grillz and Rico Nasty is wearing a dimonty chain of her name - illustrating the culture of American rappers
Old Town Road Media Factsheet
Finally, read Media Factsheet #262 - Old Town Road. You'll need to log in to Google using your Greenford Google account to access this. Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:
1) Who are the celebrities that appear in cameos in the video?
Billy Ray Cyrus, Lil Nas X himself, Rico Nasty, Chris Rock, Diplo, Vince Staples and HAHA Davis, Youngkio and Jozzy
2) Choose three of the key terms defined on the first page of the factsheet and write the definitions here. Focus on terms you are unfamiliar with.
Cultural Myth - Deeper ideologies that have been shaped through cultural coding through
connotations over time.
Mytheme - Small units of narrative in cultural products; such as theme, character and action, the study of which can reveal the dominant ideas and values of culture.
Archetypal - A representation that is very typical of a person, place or thing
3) How did Lil Nas X use social media to boost his own popularity and the success of the video?
Firstly, he was a fan of Nicki Minaj and ran an anonymous Twitter account named @nasmaraj. Minaj is known for having a huge fan-base with Stans (stalker/fans) nicknamed “Barbz”. Despite saying
he did not run the account later admitted he did. He had a clear understanding of social media’s role in marketing and promotion of stars even before he released his own music. music. By trafficking in memes, viral threads, engagement bait, and Nicki Minaj stanning, he was able to create a six-digit follower base on Twitter, a process that is known a tweetdecking. This account served as a springboard to release Old Town Road.
- He listened the track as " country-trap", exploiting the space between the two genres
- He utilised search-engine optimisation, by asking users on Reddit was he should call the song. This process keeping his content visible.
- He was just lucky with the resurging interest in cowboys when the song was release(ie.Yeehaw movement)
- Games like Red Dead Redemption 2’s release meant that audiences were already primed for content like his. The track really gained traction when it was shared on TikTok. Millions of TikToks were shared featuring Old Town Road.
4) Look at the video analysis on page 3. What conventions of the western can be found in the video?
- Traditional westerns used deserted rocky, uninhabited settings
- dance off
- Lil Nas X riding through rugged countryside of the outback being chased by the sheriff and his deputies.
- Bank robberies and hostage situations
5) How does the video begin?
The exposition of the video starts in media res (in the middle of action) and shows Lil Nas X riding through rugged countryside of the outback being chased by the sheriff and his deputies.
6) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the modern-day part of the video?
Lil Nas hugging a little white Bingo playing, line-dancing old lady, subverting the negative stereotype of the threatening black man as well as suggesting that outsiders should not be feared. This culminates in a message which constructs a hyperreality of inclusivity and community above fear and violence
7) How can the video be read as a reinforcement of capitalism and the American dream?
With Billy Ray and Lil Nas carrying the money in both the 1886 and 2019 Old Town Road reinforces the ideals of Capitalism, of greed and money.
When Billy Ray and Lil Nas settle into 2019 Old Town Road Billy Ray wears a pink suit, conveying his freedom and comfort in his sexuality. This conveys the American Dream of having the ability to be whoever you please.
8) How does the factsheet suggest the video creates a hyperreality?
The video ends with Lil Nas hugging a little white Bingo playing, line-dancing old lady, subverting the negative stereotype of the threatening black man as well as suggesting that outsiders should not be feared. This culminates in a message which constructs a hyperreality of inclusivity and community above fear and violence.
9) How is masculinity represented in the video?
The cowboy in popular American culture has featured on radio, in comic books, games, films, and television shows, had music written about him and featured in advertising. This representation often takes a romanticised ideal of masculinity that is WASP (White Anglo Saxon Protestant). Often depicted as self-reliant, macho and tough, often self-sacrificing and shun romantic relationships with women. John Wayne, real name Marion Robert Morrison, was arguably the most famous and archetypal (best version) of this version of masculinity.
10) Look at the final page. What theories are suggested for this CSP and which do you think are the most useful?
(most important)Judith Butler’s theory effectively to the video as it draws
attention to the performative nature of gender. Stereotypical
feminine gender codes, such as the pink suits and flowers,
highlight that “the inner truth is a fabrication.” Lil Nas X and Billy
Ray Cyrus do not “perform” like conventional cowboys.
David Gauntlett’s identity theory would argue that more
varied and nuanced representations of masculinity offer
audiences more identity models to follow. Plus, marginalised
representations of gay, black country, and rap artists getting
mainstream exposure and being accepted could pave the way
for more artists from these groups.
Stuart Hall’s concept of transcoding stereotypes could
be useful ad Lil Nas X subverts the aggressive black male
stereotype, especially in regard to the violent, misogynistic,
homophobic rap star.
A/A* extension tasks
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