Lil Nas X’s country trap song “Old Town Road” has become a viral hit for the 19-year-old rapper. But the catchy tune also became attached to some controversy when Billboard decided to remove the hybrid tune from their Hot Country Songs chart because it wasn’t “country enough.”

In an interview Time published on Saturday (March 30), the Atlanta rapper (born Montero Lamar Hill) says his viral song should be on the Hot Country Songs chart. He also credits Young Thug for helping create the genre country trap.

“The song is country trap. It’s not one, it’s not the other. It’s both. It should be on both [charts],” he told the publication.

“I believe whenever you’re trying something new, it’s always going to get some kind of bad reception,” he continues. “For example, when rap started, or when rock and roll began. But with country trap, I in no way want to take credit for that. I believe Young Thug would be one of the biggest pioneers in that.”

While Thugger has never become known primarily as a country artist, he has released a country-leaning song by the name of "Family Don't Matter," which is a tune from his 2017 project, Beautiful Thugger Girls.

Several rappers have expressed their outrage over Billboard's removal of "Old Town Road" from their Hot Country Songs chart. One artist, Ski Mask The Slump God, said that Billboard's decision was a clear case of discrimination.

Shane Morris, a former country music label executive, also believes that discrimination played a part in the removing "Old Town Road" from the Hot Country Songs chart. On Saturday (March 30), he went on Twitter to explain how country purists judge what is country music to them through the prism of race.

"Hi. Former country music label person here," wrote Morris, who is a former employee of Sony Music Entertainment. "@LilNasX was kicked off the Billboard country charts because the (mainstream) terrestrial country music market is filled to a surfeit with racism and bigotry."

For the record, Billboard told Rolling Stone that race had nothing to do with removing Lil Nas X's tune from their Country Songs chart.

Watch the video for Young Thug's country-leaning song "Family Don't Matter," as well as the video for "Old Town Road" below. See Morris expand on his argument beneath the videos.

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