Lil Nas X Announces Release Date for Debut Album Montero

The meteoric rise of rapper Lil Nas X has been something to behold. Unapologetic in his queerness and his approach to songwriting, the artist has quickly become an icon in an age in which such authenticity is celebrated, especially as he continues to challenge what the concept of “celebrity” looks like in 2021. Capitalizing on the success of his latest single “Industry Baby,” which boasted a thoroughly well-planned rollout, Lil Nas X has finally announced that his debut album Montero will be released Sept. 17 on Columbia Records.

The artist posted the following statement to Twitter alongside a glossy, futuristic trailer for the album:

creating this album has been therapy for me. i’ve learned to let go of trying to control people’s perception of who i am, what i can do, and where i will be. i’ve realized the only opinion of me that really matters is my own.

Recently, the artist has been in headlines calling out the double standard between the way people treated his infamous “Satan shoes” stunt and skateboarder Tony Hawk’s similar concept with his new line of blood-infused boards.

Check out the album’s trailer, which features a clip of new music that will presumably serve as the album’s lead single below, as well as the video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”