Furious customers threaten to boycott Wrangler after the denim brand teamed up with Old Town Road singer Lil Nas X on a collection
- Lil Nas X's Old Town Road featuring Billy Ray Cyrus is number one on the Billboard Hot 100
- It features a line about wearing 'Wrangler on my booty'
- Wrangler has now collaborated with Lil Nas X on a limited-edition capsule collection, which launched this week
- Some social media users are angry, saying the brand is losing touch with its customer base
- 'If you have any sense, you'll stop production and burn what's left,' wrote one
- Other fans are excited and have accused critics of racism and being dramatic
Lil Nas X has become an unlikely country star with his mega hit Old Town Road — but not every country boy is a fan.
When the denim company Wrangler released a clothing collaboration with the rapper this week, some country fans were absolutely furious.
Several even commented on the brand's Instagram page to share their displeasure, saying that they'd be boycotting Wrangler over the partnership — a reaction that many other social media users are calling racist.
Just hit stores! Wrangler has collaborated with Lil Nas X on a limited-edition capsule collection, which launched this week
Makes sense! Lil Nas X's Old Town Road featuring Billy Ray Cyrus is number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and features a line about wearing 'Wrangler on my booty'
For the fans: The capsule collection features Lil Nas X and Old Town Road imagery and is being promoted on Wrangler's social media pages
Pumped: While some fans are very excited to buy it, a few vocal dissenters are furious about the collaboration
On Monday, Wrangler announced the Wrangler Lil Nas X Collection, which is made up of graphic tees, jeans, denim shirts, and shorts. They all feature some sort of Lil Nas X or Old Town Road imagery.
The collection seems to be inspired by a line in the song in which Lil Nas X says 'Cowboy hat from Gucci, Wrangler on my booty.'
But though the song has reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, some Wrangler fans are insisting it's not country music — and are angry with Wrangler for teaming up with the rapper.
'And this is how you lose customers,' wrote one.
'True cowboys that wear Wranglers will not wear these or care anything about the stupid song,' wrote another.
'Wrangler has been the jean brand of outdoorsmen, farmers, and workers. I don't think this is a good campaign to run for this jean brand,' wrote another.
Song of the spring: There has been some debate as to weather Lil Nas X's song qualifies as 'country,' but it's certainly a huge hit
Big mad: Several Wrangler fans are furious at the brand and have said it will lose customers over the 'ridiculous' and 'disgraceful' collection
'Might have to stop wearing wranglers,' another man wrote, while one more said: 'Honestly am embarrassed to say I ware [sic] wrangler because of these. This is a disgrace,' said another.
And one more: 'This is ridiculous!!! Great way to lose the customers that made you successful to begin with!!!'
'If you have any sense, you'll stop production and burn what's left,' wrote a man wearing a cowboy hat in his profile picture. 'Or go ahead and join Levi's on the list of jeans not to buy. I don't buy anything made by Levi's after their gun control stance. I'll stop buying wranglers just as quick for this nonsense.'
Of course, not everyone is upset about the collaboration. Some commenters wrote to share their excitement, with several even saying they'd become first-time Wrangler customers thanks to the collection.
Several social media users were also quick to dismiss those calling for a boycott, accusing them of being racist for getting 'soooooo upset' that Wrangler collaborated with a black celebrity.
Getting ugly: Many Twitter users are accusing the angry Wrangler customers of racism
'Lil Nas X got a collab with wrangler and the racist are losing it in the comments,' wrote one.
'I’m sorry but Lil Nas X securing that Wrangler jeans bag is legendary. I love to see the racists get big mad,' tweeted another.
'Whew... the racism,' wrote yet another, to which a man responded: 'Let em boycott....Wrangler bout to have the best year in sales because white people buy two pairs a jeans and wear them until all that's left is the zipper...'
For their part, Wrangler has replied to several of the upset commenters to defend the collaboration.
'The Wrangler Lil Nas X collection is a limited edition collection created to celebrate this era of music, culture, and style,' the brand wrote.
'Since 1947, we've offered jeans for a variety of wearers and wearing occasions. Our western heritage and offering quality product for all wearers will always be the very heart of our brand.
Really? Lil Nas X even weighed in, tweeting: 'Y'all really boycotting wrangler?? is it that deep'
Popular: The song's been viewed 156 million times on YouTube, while the new 'movie' (pictured) has been watched 59 million times
And Lil Nas X has become aware of the backlash too, but doesn't seem all to concerned about it.
'Y'all really boycotting wrangler?? is it that deep,' he tweeted.
This isn't the first time there's been some question over whether Old Town Road can be called 'country' — and it's also not the first time critics have been called racist.
Earlier this year, it debuted on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, its Hot Country Songs chart, and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
It reached number 19 on the Hot Country Songs chart before Billboard removed it in March, telling Rolling Stone: 'Upon further review, it was determined that ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X does not currently merit inclusion on Billboard‘s country charts.
'When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition. While Old Town Road incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version.'
Since then, it's reached number one on the Hot 100 chart, and Billboard has faced some backlash for the decision. Though it has not decided to retract the elimination from the country chart just yet, however, it did say it might possibly reconsider.
'Determining which chart a song lives on is an ongoing process that depends on a number of factors, most notably the song’s musical composition, but also how the song is marketed and promoted, the musical history of the artist, airplay the song receives and how the song is platformed on streaming services,' Billboard told Rolling Stone.
'Billboard welcomes the excitement created by genre-blending tracks such as Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road and will continue to monitor how it is marketed and how fans respond.
'Our initial decision to remove Old Town Road from the Hot Country Songs chart could be revisited as these factors evolve.'
