Need a couple number ones, Need a plaque on every song:
The narrative of Lil Nas X
Literature Review
Stuart Hall noted three theories of representation: reflective, intentional, and constructionist (2013). The constructionist approach, which is most relevant to this project, acknowledges that meanings in language cannot be fixed. Hall wrote that we construct meanings based on concepts and signs rather than things having intrinsic meanings (2013).
Lil Nas X plays with language in his music, and in the process, insists on challenging old ideas and creating new ones. His music and music videos are open to interpretation depending on not just the listener’s experience, but their knowledge of Nas’s past. In coding for terms related to Nas, it was important to note the context the word was being used in.
REPRESENTATION THEORY
QUEER NARRATIVE STUDIES
Frederik Dhaenens’s narrative study examined queer representation in television. He examined the character arcs and traits of fictional gay people in genres ranging from drama and comedy to animation to parody (Dhaenens, 2014). He found these characters fall within the “heterosexual matrix,” that is, how their actions and behaviors align with, or don’t align with, traits considered to be ideal heteronormativity— monogamous, family centered, longevity in relationships, etc. (Dhaenens, 2014). His study found that most queer representation fits within the heterosexual matrix and when characters’ behaviors did not fall within the matrix, the characters were criticized within the narrative (Dhaenens, 2014).
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Lil Nas X breaks that construct because in many ways he exists and does not exist within the “heterosexual matrix.” His performance of gender pivots between the masculine and feminine, oftentimes with the two overlapping. And his music expresses desire for monogamous relationships as well as casual sex with multiple partners. In this way, Nas is able to reap the benefits of both- the freedom that comes with casual sex and one-night stands, and the safety and support that comes with a longterm relationship. He is able to paint himself in a way that allows him the best of both worlds in the public eye.
GAY RAPPERS
Shinsuke Eguichi and Myra Roberts examined Fly Young Red’s “Throw that Boy P***y” and how it fits within the expected narrative of hyper-masculinity within the rap and black communities (2015). They noted how Fly Young Red creates a persona of the “homo-thug,” which allows him to express his homosexuality while still maintaining the expected hyper-masculinity (Eguichi & Roberts, 2015). This is achieved through the sexualization of male bodies in a way similar to how a straight rapper might sexualize female bodies, as well as by characterizing Fly Young Red as a “top” (Eguichi & Roberts, 2015). Similarly, Robin Means and Jasmine Cobb examined the career of Caushun, a black gay rapper, and why he has yet to achieve mainstream success (2007). Through narrative analysis, the authors argue that Caushun’s conflicting identities of “queen” and “thug” prevent him from reaching a widespread audience, as well as greater acceptance within the rap community (Means & Cobb, 2007).
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Both of the studies attribute the blatant homosexuality of Fly Young Red and Caushun as factors in their inability to reach mainstream success. Euguichi and Roberts specifically note the way Fly Young Red presents as hyper-masculine and dominate (2015). This is in stark contrast to Lil Nas X, who has never shied away from a more effeminate or androgenous presentation. Means and Cobb also note the masculinity of Caushun (2007). They characterize Caushun as creating a public persona that combines the identities of “queen” and “thug,” which isolates him within the rap community (Means & Cobb, 2007). Caushun, like Nas is confident in his sexuality and is more effeminate and open in his desire for sex with other men. However, where these traits are by no means detrimental to Nas’s career, Means and Cobb consider this to be a main factor in Caushun’s inability to rise to mainstream relevancy (2007). It is also worth noting that Caushun’s attempt to gain relevancy as an out gay rapper occurred more than a decade before Nas’s break into the mainstream. It is possible that the time gap between the two is a factor in their respective success or lack thereof.
MASCULINITY
Ronald Weitzer and Charis Kubrin delved into recurring themes within the portrayal of misogyny (prostitution, violence, distrust of women, sexual objectification and verbal degradation) through textual analysis. They claimed that these themes are used to not just put women down but to elevate men (Weitzer & Kubrin, 2009). According to Weitzer and Kubrin, through enacting these misogynistic rites, men define their masculinity in opposition to the femininity of the women mentioned in their lyrics (2009).
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Lil Nas X has a way of defining his masculinity that notably does not involve misogyny. His lyrics are void of the misogynistic imagery often found in rap. Yet he is still able to establish himself as a rapper and present his own version of a masculine identity without it.