The Importance of Authenticity in American Popular Music

Lil Nas X is known for dressing up as a cowboy in his music. The way we think of cowboys is shaped, I think, entirely by cinema. John Wayne fans revere him because they feel he's channeling something authentic. But Lil Nas X isn't trying to convince you of anything but his fabulousness. He's giving a knowing performance. It's cowboy style. A kind of camp with deep roots in African American culture. And here's where things get really interesting. Ben connects that form of camp to the cakewalk, a parade-like competitive dance that started in the days of slavery. At the same time, there's this parodic, satiric quality of