Lil Nas X Goes Back to the Future in New Video for ‘Panini’ (Watch)

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – This morning Lil Nas X has dropped the official music video for his new single “ Panini ,” the follow-up to his global smash “Old Town Road.” Set in a futuristic world of flying cars and hologram billboards, the video follows guest-star and Disney actress Skai Jackson in her attempt to escape as he pops up everywhere she goes, trying to win her over as a fan. According to the announcement, the treatment for the visual came from Lil Nas X and was directed by Mike Diva.

Lil Nas X has said that “Panini” is a song about a fan who loves you in the early stages of your career for the cool factor of knowing about something before it becomes mainstream, and that fan feeling like they’ve outgrown you when the rest of the world catches on.

On a somewhat related note, on Tuesday’s episode of HBO’s “The Shop: Uninterrupted,”  Lil Nas X was asked about coming out as gay amid the success of his hit, which recently broke the record for longest run atop the Billboard Hot 100. “And with all that early success, you felt it was important to make an announcement recently?” asked marketing executive and moderator Paul Rivera.

Before Lil Nas X had a chance to answer, Hart butted in: “He said he was gay, so what?”

After Hart’s interjection, the 20-year-old rapper said that he grew up being encouraged to “hate that s–t,” referring to homosexuality. Hart cut in again: “Hate what? Why?”

“Come on now. If you really from the hood, you know,” Lil Nas X responded.

He went on to answer Rivera’s initial question, saying that if he had come out so publicly at “any other time,” it would be “for attention, in my eyes.” But since he’s “at the top,” it’s “for real.”

He continued, “It’s showing, like, it doesn’t really matter.”