Lil Nas X to Release Stripping Action Figure, Complete With Pole

It's been almost twelve hours since the release of "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" and we can't stop thinking about it. And that's not likely to wear off any time soon.

At midnight Lil Nas X released his track and music video "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)." While he had been teasing it to the world since July 2020, he still managed to shock us all. The track is an unabashed embrace of gay sexuality and the music video does the same while flipping the finger to those who might try to censor and judge him. As writer Ryan Sides points out in a story he posted to Medium, "that we can have meaningful music from a pop star of LNX's caliber and potential, and it still be something you'd sing along to in a boy's ear, drunk in a tightly packed gay club. I love this so fucking much." And if Nas X has something to say about it, you'll be loving it for a long time.

If there's one thing that the 21-year-old is a king of, it's promo. He knows how to work the internet in a way that focuses attention (and virality) wherever he wants it to be focused. We saw it first with "Old Town Road," but have certainly seen it since. Even with this nine-month road to "Montero" we've been privy to his ability to keep us interested in one thing for a considerable amount of time, teasing us with snippets. Now, the focus on getting us to keep streaming has begun and it will be kicked off with an action figure.

In the music video's most viral scene, Nas X finds himself dancing down a stripper pole and into hell. The stripper pole and the scene to follow -- where he gives the devil a lap dance, seducing and killing him -- are a metaphor for harnessing the sexuality that people told you would condemn you. Now, Nas X is giving us a memento, having announced that he will be releasing an action figure, replete with a stripper pole.

While there are no details, he wrote "coming soon," on Twitter.

The scheme is no doubt an effort to push "Montero" along on its road to platinum. Early Friday morning the performer announced that all of his singles so far -- "Old Town Road," "Rodeo," "Panini," and "Holiday," -- are all certified platinum at least once.

What were they saying about a "one-hit wonder?!"

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