Lil Nas X’s Album Was Inspired by Shrooms, Interview Reveals

In an interview with Myles Tanzer, published in The Wall Street Journal Magazine’s Innovator Issue, Lil Nas X revealed that his recent album Montero was inspired by psilocybin mushrooms. The article also boldly called Lil Nas X, 22, the “new King of Pop.”

To record the album, Lil Nas X worked in the studio with the producer duo David Biral and Denzel Baptiste at various Airbnb rentals scattered throughout California. The producer duo also calls themselves “Take a Daytrip.” While the duo produced artists ranging from Kid Cudi to Juice WRLD, Lil Nas X is probably their most important partnership to date.

It was the first time Lil Nas X tried psilocybin, and it apparently had a profound impact on the recording of his first full-length studio album.  

Lil Nas X says “a pivotal moment in the process was trying psychedelic mushrooms for the first time,” Wall Street Journal reports. The “Take a Daytrip” producer duo babysat the artist as he navigated his way through the trip. And, “Baptiste and Biral sat by Nas’ side sober and talked to him throughout the day, occasionally taking dips in the pool and hot tub but not working on any music, just reflecting on life.”

“I was able to open up a lot,” Lil Nas X added. “I was able to write actual stories about my life and put it into my music. I actually did that for the first time.”

The music video for lead single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” spanned scenes from the Garden of Eden to Hell, which is now partially explainable by the impact of recent psychedelic experiences.

Lil Nas X added, “At the end of the day, I want to exist. I want to have fun, I want to cause chaos sometimes. I want a long, legendary, fun life.”

Lil Nas X attended the 11th annual WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards on Monday at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, along with fellow honorees including Kim Kardashian, Ryan Reynolds, Demi Moore, Lewis Hamilton and others. 

The pop star showed up to the awards sporting a Thom Browne look with a dog-shaped purse.

Lil Nas X: The King of Controversy?

At just age 22, the pop star topped the Billboard Hot 100 at number one three times, with several other tracks in radio and streaming circulation. 

The pop star prefers cannabis over tobacco. “I will smoke weed all day then cough if somebody smoke a cigarette near me LMAO,” Lil Nas X tweeted in 2018. He was recently forced to quit after a bout of pneumonia, which he didn’t even realize he had at the time.

If psilocybin mushrooms are considered controversial—rest-assured, it won’t be long until Lil Nas X is on top of it.

The pop star is attracted to controversy like moths to a flame. In once instance, Lil Nas X showed up to the 2020 Grammy Awards sporting a pink bondage-inspired cowboy outfit.

In September, Lil Nas X celebrated the release of his first album, the one inspired by shrooms, by sharing “pregnancy” photos, skillfully shot aesthetically.

The star’s music video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” was a particular target, probably due to the depiction of him giving the devil a lapdance in Hell. Pastor Greg Locke said in a video shared on Twitter that the song contained a “bunch of devil-worshipping, wicked nonsense.” Fox News said the song and video were “desperate and pathetic.” Lil Nas X continued his faked “evil gay Satanic agenda” by releasing Nike shoes, customized with pentagrams, etc. He was forced to abort the Satan shoes stunt when Nike threatened legal action.

The pop star’s subsequent music videos were certainly not any less controversial. Given by Lil Nas X’s reactions to his controversies, he loves it.