Lil Nas X’s remix of his viral country-(t)rap hit “Old Town Road” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, just weeks after Billboard removed the original version from their Hot Country Songs chart. The song's success has not only opened up wider discussions about African Americans and our role in mainstream country music, it's reinforced a viral movement known as the Yee Haw Agenda.
The trend originated from social media star Bri Malandro, after she tweeted a pic of Ciara dolled up in a cowboy hat, posing for King Kong magazine.
"The yee haw agenda is in full effect," she captioned.
the yee haw agenda is in full effect https://t.co/Q66gLgzN6N
— Bri Malandro (@BriMalandro) September 27, 2018
The tweet may have unintentionally started a movement and got Malandro labeled somewhat of an "oracle." Now, if you look up "#YeeHawAgenda" on social media, you'll be inundated with black celebs and regular folk rocking country-western garb as a means, according to Malandro, to highlight the influence of black cowboys and cowgirls in pop culture.
“Black cowboys have literally always been here regardless of the image most people get when they hear the word ‘cowboy,'” Malandro told Dazed Digital. “I think the main thing I’ve learned is that a lot of people had no idea that was the case. I’m happy I could be a part of bringing it to the light in some way.”
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And now that Lil Nas' country song went viral, the Internet can't help but connect his success to the movement.
"We, the country Blacks, welcome you all to the #yeehawagenda," wrote one fan on Twitter. "Country music really is missing out on a lot of money by not cultivating Black artists. There’s more to the experience of growing up Black in the country than trucks & beer, and that music needs to be made!"
We, the country Blacks, welcome you all to the #yeehawagenda. Country music really is missing out on a lot of money by not cultivating Black artists. There’s more to the experience of growing up Black in the country than trucks & beer, and that music needs to be made!
— Stacey Abrams’ Favorite Niece (@R_eginaGeorge) April 6, 2019
Moral to the story with Lil Nas X is that a) when you tell us no, we will find a way around to force you to a yes (as a people) b) Billboard shoulda sat there and ate their food. Now you can’t ignore the song that would’ve been a sleeper hit instead of a monster. #yeehawagenda
— tee hails (@teehails) April 5, 2019
If you haven't heard "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, what you been doing?:
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