Lil Nas X, Normani and Tyler The Creator Top Forbes '30 Under 30' List
What do Lil Nas X, Normani and Tyler, The Creator all have in common? Outside of their unparalleled talent, creativity and flair, they have officially landed spots on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2020.
It’s no surprise that 20-year-old instant sensation Lil Nas X has made his mark on the renowned list. The musician rose to fame in what feels like record time after releasing his fan favorite hit song “Old Town Road.”
Last December, he uploaded the track to an independent music service called Amuse. The song quickly began racking up streams and climbed to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country chart. It was later controversially removed from the list in April. Still, the rapper believed in his dream and recruited country star Billy Ray Cyrus to make a remix. In an ironic turn of events, the revamped version went viral and has since made history by becoming the longest-running No. 1 single to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
RELATED: Lil Nas X Celebrates ‘Old Town Road’ Becoming the Longest-Running Number 1 Song on Billboard Chart
“Last year in October, as a struggling artist starting to lose faith in what I could be, I went looking for beats on YouTube,” the rapper shared in an emotional post on his Instagram.
“I remember clicking on so many generic sounding beats trying to find the right one for me. When suddenly I came across a country-trap sounding masterpiece. I immediately knew I would make something special out of it.”
The song is one-of-a-kind indeed. Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus won the Country Music Award for musical event of the year award for their remix of “Old Town Road,” making the young rapper the first openly gay male performer to ever win at the CMAs.
Normani, who broke into music as a member of girl group Fifth Harmony, is making major strides in her career as a solo artist. She departed from the group in 2018 after six years of singing alongside members Camila Cabello, Ally Brooke, Lauren Jauregui and Dinah Jane. During her leap to a solo career, Normani told PEOPLE it was a “good time” to find her own footing.
RELATED: Normani Honors Some 2000s Pop Icons Including Beyoncé with Her New Music Video — Watch
In August, the pop star, 23, debuted the music video for her single “Motivation” — a nod to African American culture — and fans were highly impressed. While channeling pop legends like Beyoncé, she added her unique dance skills to the video.
“I told the director, ‘I want this to be as black as possible,’” she told Cosmo. “I was like, let’s show black culture. Why does pop music have to be so white? Why don’t we make it a little bit more me?” In doing so, Normani touched the hearts and ears of many.
Tyler, The Creator, who originally rose to stardom as a teenage member of Odd Future, has since released five solo albums — each landing spots in the top five Billboard’s 200 list. Tyler is now making waves in the fashion industry as a designer. He is the founder of clothing company Golf Wang and Camp Flog Gnaw, a music festival.
