Is LilNas the New leader of the Gen Z Pop Culture World?

‘Pop Culture’ is a mainstream term that celebrates cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film, cyberculture, television, and radio. But if you look at it differently, it is also a term representing cool things and feeds off on the popularity, mindest and appeal. Since the 1940s, the study of media influences and widespread cultural ‘effects’ has expanded significantly. Its essence has always been in some sense of evaluating the ‘power’ of mediated communications and cultural artefacts.

Pop Culture has played a crucial role in providing the curious with an unending adventure, the lost ones with a place of being and comfort, and the unwelcomed with a place a sense of association and home. There is a place for everything and everyone in the Pop Culture. It engages creativity and pushes the mind to newer horizons. Filmmakers, music writers, directors, fashion brands and all kinds of arts exist in this space seeking better ways to expand their creativity, engage the audiences and bring them the wonders of life.

Frozen

A 2014 research cited by Disney indicates that the number of visits by Americans to the Visit Norway website has tripled since the release of ‘Frozen’, and flight searches from the U.S. to Norway are up 153%. Travelweekly.com also confirmed in the same research that Disney’s ‘Frozen’ is sending tourists packing for Norway. This article elaborated further on how Norwegian tourism is booming because of Disney’s Frozen, set in the dramatic Norwegian coastline, and has been acclaimed as the most successful animated film, thus becoming the best example of the impact that Pop Culture carries.

Baby Shark Dance

Statista.com, on February 11, 2021, published that the Baby Shark Dance video was the most-viewed YouTube video of all time, surpassing the former record holder “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi. “Baby Shark Dance” currently has 7.91 billion lifetime views on YouTube.

Released on June 17, 2016, by the Korean education brand Pinkfong, the internet citizens have not gotten over this song. It became a viral internet trend in 2017 when scores of families and communities in Indonesia were uploading videos doing their versions of the dance. In 2018, #BabySharkChallenge became a viral trend on TikTok.

This is the colossal power and influence pop culture has. But whether it is positive or negative is a topic for another debate. Appearing at every age and time, there is an icon in pop culture that is challenging the status quo, questioning the dynamics, and inserting new ideas.

Michael Jackson

Now, let’s unravel the powerful impact of Pop Culture from Michael Jackson’s moonwalk to immortalizing the military gear and sparkly gloves and the trophy jacket trend in the ’80s. Jackson’s influence overcame racial boundaries, and revolutionized the music industry, paved the way for others. It also changed the traditional patterns of song promotion and production, earning him the title of ‘Alias King of Pop’.

The same 1980s couldn’t get over Madonna’s social-cultural impact through her recordings, attitude, clothing and lifestyle. Her navel-baring fashions and underwear as outerwear, affecting the clothing choices both of other celebrities and the public at large, was too overpowering that it spanned into the 1990s and early 2000s.

Sex and the City

The 2000s was another year that birthed mega pop culture actions and reactions, from Britney Spears to Beyonce to Sarah Jessica Parker. Sex and the City didn’t just illustrate how powerful fashion statement pieces were, but it also invited others into the world of exploration, self-discovery and proclamation.

Fashion-forward women, elegant and chic style, often wearing soft pinks with black trimmings and always adding feminine flair became the vogue. This shift in Pop Culture brought us feathers, dainty chokers, and slip-skirts, and all-white styles!

RuPaul

While all this was happening, Charles RuPaul was challenging gender, sexual orientation and stereotypes. In 2016 on ABC News, RuPaul commented on the much-debated question of Why He and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Can Never Go Mainstream saying that “Drag Race’ is famous because, at its core, is the story of the tenacity of the human spirit.

“We get to see these kids who have been pushed aside by society, who’ve made way for themselves to be seen and to be great. And watching them thrive throughout these challenges is captivating, especially knowing their stories. And I know their stories because it’s my story. It is the story of really everyone who thinks outside the box,” RuPaul stated.

RuPaul doesn’t seem to get at that time because the mainstream is where pop culture lives, and if he’s going to make an impact truly, it needs to be mainstream. He didn’t realize with this statement that he was already impacting, and a lot of many more will follow that art form to find themselves and be more expressive. In 2021, Dragrace has become the truest form of art and performance and has even evolved to become an advocacy platform to get people to vote, express support, and associate with others.

Try typing “Yas queen!” or “shade” or “don’t fuck it up” into a search engine and see what comes up. Most likely, you’ll get a GIF that originated from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Initially broadcasted in the early 2000s as a niche talent show on relatively unknown US cable channel Logo TV, Drag Race is now big business and has moved to a far more visible new home on MTV’s VH1. Drag Race has become a cultural juggernaut that is influencing our everyday language and internet behaviour.

Kanye West

Kanye West has influenced contemporary rap music more than any other artist. From production, lyrics, even the content of his songs, With the release of his fourth studio album “808’s and Heartbreak”, West achieved a revolutionary moment in pop culture.

Kanye West paved the way for streetwear to become a part of high fashion! The clothes themselves are not new, and brands like Supreme and Stüssy came before Off-White and Yeezy.

Lil Nas X, the New King of Pop

Since the release of Lil Nas X’s music video for Montero (Call Me By Your Name), the pop culture world has witnessed a tremendous shift. Which is why most people are asking, ‘Is Lil Nas X the new king of pop?’. He said that it is a terrifying project for him, and he believes that people will be angry; they will say that he was pushing an agenda. “But the truth is, I am. The plan to make people stay the fuck out of other people’s lives and stop dictating who they should be.”

From sliding down a pole to hell before giving the devil a lap dance, Lil Nas X has garnered criticism from conservative politicians and commentators, who say the song encourages devil-worshipping and scandalizes young fans. The big move is to normalize queerness further. “I know we promised never to be ‘that’ type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to exist simply,” he said. It is no secret that people have lost their jobs, contracts and endorsements because of being gay or publicly acknowledging that they are. It is an open secret war in the developing world where pop culture influence thrives.

It would help if you remembered the time when his debut single, “Old Town Road,” exploded online early in 2019 and began climbing the charts, industry prognosticators anticipated a quick rise and fall, but no, he stayed on. In 2020, Lil Nas X’s video, ‘Mashed Up Vampires’ and ‘The Matrix’ was a modern twist on these classic films, with a diverse cast and the hip-hop cowboy superstar at the centre. With everything going on, his influence on futurism is all saying he might be the New Pop King for the Gen –Z.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section! Follow Mozart Culture for more such excellent reads from around the world!

Sources:

• O’Mahony, P. (2014, March 25) US tourists plan trips to Disney’s frozen land.

Frozen https://www.thelocal.no/20140325/american-tourists-disney-frozen-norway-tourism/

• Tankovska, H. (2021, February, 16) Most popular YouTube videos based on total global views as of February 2021.

Baby Shark https://www.statista.com/statistics/249396/top-youtube-videos-views/

• DURRELL, D. and ALEXA, V. (2016, May 12) RuPaul on Why He and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Can Never Go Mainstream.

RuPaul https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/rupaul-rupauls-drag-race-mainstream/story?id=39075322

• Micheal Jackon’s Picture’- (2010, Oct 27) www.nme.com

          http://www.nme.com/news/michael-jackson/53585

•  Sex and The City’s Picture – ( 2018, May 21) www.imdb.com

            https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159206/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm”

• LilNas and @LilNasx),

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3IAP5ilxcd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link