Lil Nas X is back with a new song and music video for “World’s Greatest!” after taking time off following his bipolar disorder diagnosis and the loss of his mother.
Released on Thursday (Oct. 1), the six-minute visual is directed by Phillip Youmans and was shot in Nas’ Atlanta hometown. The video opens with the rapper doing choreography in a dance studio, then weaves in footage with dramatized scenes from his childhood before closing with a dedication to his late mother, Tamikia Hill, as a moving voicemail from her is heard.
“I hope your dreams work out for you/I hope your green comes out the blue/I hope you learn to love again/Yeah, I hope you learn to trust the pen/I hope the world shows up for you/I hope they never laugh at you/I hope you learn to love again/I’m a champion,” Nas sings on the track.
“‘Walk by faith, not by sight’ was my mom’s favorite phrase to say,” Lil Nas X wrote on X when announcing the video on Sept. 30. “As I move through life it resonates with me more & more. This one’s for the ”World’s Greatest!'”
Back in June, Nas X revealed he was working on new music when he opened up about his diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
“I’ve been in rehab for a few months, and since then I’ve been back at home, whether it’s in Atlanta with my family or in Los Angeles with myself and friends and whatnot,” he said. “Trying to ground myself down to Earth and get out of my head. I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist, which has been really helpful.”
He continued: “I’m doing much better, I’m feeling better, I’m creating freely, and there’s less fear in my heart. I’m just smelling the roses.
The 27-year-old artist also shared that he’s working on new music, but hasn’t fully immerse himself in the recording process.
“I’m not getting completely to that just yet,” he said. “But I’m excited to do that and I’m excited to go on that journey with you guys.”
In late August, he revealed his mother had passed.
“RIP TO THE BADDEST EVER! LOVE U FOREVER MOMMY. this one’s gonna hurt,” he wrote on Instagram at the time.
Check out Lil Nas X’s music video for “World’s Greatest” below.
Watch Lil Nas X’s “World’s Greatest!” Video
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