Postcolonial theory: blog tasks
Wider reading on race and Old Town Road
The article highlights iconic western symbols such as cowboy hats, cow-print clothing, rhinestones, and fringed suede jackets as visual cues traditionally associated with the Western genre.
The Yeehaw Agenda emerged in September 2018 when cultural critic Bri Malandro coined the term to describe the growing trend of Black celebrities embracing cowboy fashion and Western aesthetics, reclaiming a space historically denied to Black Americans.
Mainstream representations of American identity have long been dominated by whiteness, marginalising Black contributions. The erasure of Black cowboys from cultural memory has been so significant that the Studio Museum in Harlem curated a “Black Cowboy” exhibition to reassert their place in Western history.
The fashion industry has responded to the resurgence of Black cowboy imagery through exhibitions like the Studio Museum’s “Black Cowboy” showcase, and by embracing Western-themed designs modelled by Black artists and influencers.
Although Old Town Road initially charted on Billboard’s country music list, it was controversially removed on the grounds that it lacked “authentic” country elements. This sparked backlash, with critics arguing that the decision revealed underlying racial biases in the country music industry, particularly its resistance to Black artists crossing into traditionally white genres.
The song incorporates classic country features such as banjo instrumentation, a Southern vocal twang, and a narrative rooted in cowboy imagery. The music video also visually aligns with Western tropes through rural settings, horse riding, and the inclusion of Billy Ray Cyrus, a figure associated with country music.
The article notes that genres such as rock and roll, punk, riot grrrl, and electronic music owe much of their evolution to Black musical innovation and cultural expression.
The Yeehaw movement represents a cultural reclamation, a response to systemic racism and historical erasure. It empowers Black individuals to reclaim their rightful place in American narratives, challenging stereotypes and asserting pride in a heritage that has often been ignored or rewritten.
Old Town Road challenges the stereotype that Black artists should only make hip-hop or R&B music. By blending country and hip-hop, Lil Nas X breaks away from those expectations and shows that Black musicians can be part of any genre. It’s a bold move that pushes back against how the music industry often limits artists based on race. That said, the video also plays with familiar Western imagery like the cowboy and the outlaw which could be seen as reinforcing certain stereotypes, but Lil Nas X flips them by putting a Black artist at the centre of the story, giving those roles new meaning.
Gilroy talks about “double consciousness” the idea that Black people can feel like they don’t fully belong because they’re constantly seen through the eyes of others. In the video, Lil Nas X is thrown into the modern world from the past, which could show that feeling of being out of place. But by the end, when the Black community is gathered and celebrating together after the horse and car race, it feels more like a moment of belonging. Everyone seems accepted and unified, which goes against the idea of always feeling like an outsider.
Hall’s theory explores how race is represented in the media, often through fixed stereotypes like the “native” or the “criminal.” In Old Town Road, Lil Nas X could be seen as fitting the “outlaw” stereotype at the start, when he’s shown on the run with a bag of money. But again, he flips that image — instead of being punished or defeated, he becomes the hero of the story. This challenges how Black characters are often portrayed and gives more power and control back to the performer.
Yes, the video does touch on some of Alvarado’s stereotypes. One is the “exotic” stereotype Lil Nas X wears a flashy, sparkly pink cowboy outfit that makes him stand out and presents him as someone different and eye-catching. There’s also the “humorous” stereotype, shown through Chris Rock’s appearance at the beginning, where he plays a comic, over-the-top sheriff. While these stereotypes
Lil Nas X is a great example of intersectionality because he represents more than one marginalised identity, he’s Black and openly gay. bell hooks’s theory is about how these parts of someone’s identity combine and shape their experience. Lil Nas X breaks boundaries in both race and sexuality, especially in a genre like country music where people like him haven’t always been accepted. He uses his platform to be fully himself, which makes him an important figure in conversations about inclusion and representation.
Media Magazine - This Is America: Music, Politics and Protest
Read This Is America: Music, Politics and Protest in MM65 (p14). You can find this in our Media Magazine archive. This is a great article on the power of music video in American culture.
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