Key Takeaways

• Lil Nas X released “World’s Greatest!” with a music video directed by Phillip Youmans.
• The video reflects on his upbringing and ends with a dedication to his late mother, Tamikia Hill.
• It's his first single since "LEAN ON MY BODY," which came out in March 2025.

Lil Nas X is back. On Thursday (Oct. 1) at 12 p.m. ET, the Grammy-winning musician returned with his first single of the year, “World’s Greatest!”

Accompanied by a Phillip Youmans-directed music video, “World’s Greatest!” finds Nas X reflecting on his upbringing and everything that shaped him into, well, “the world’s greatest.” Over the rock-inspired production, he sings, “Yeah, I got this walk from Atlanta / I got this talk from mammy, yeah / If they knock me down, I'm standing up.”

Meanwhile, the visuals open with the superstar practicing moves in front of his reflection in a dance studio. While he’s physically there, his mind is clearly elsewhere, with the subsequent scenes showing a young boy — meant to represent Nas X — sitting in a room with his mother, riding a bicycle, and even stealing candy from a convenience store at one point.

“Came up from the bottom / Used to share a room with my sisters and my brothers / Five to a bed, we was in there sharing covers / Grew up in the hood with my mama and grandmother / At least we had each other,” Nas X picks up in the second verse. Near the end of the video, what appears to be a photo of his late mother fills the screen. “In loving memory [of] Tamikia Hill,” the message reads. “Love u forever, mommy.”

Listen to “World’s Greatest!” below, then keep scrolling for more on Nas X’s eagerly awaited return.

Lil Nas X honored his late mother while announcing “World’s Greatest!”

Nas X first announced the single on Wednesday (Sept. 30), sharing a video of himself sitting shirtless on a bed while listening to a voicemail from his mother, Tamikia Hill, who passed away over the summer. “Hey. Doobie, been calling you multiple times today. I just wanna say love you, keep your head up, continue to walk by faith, not by sight. Let go and let God handle the rest. Everything else is gonna work itself in its own place,” she said in the voice note.

“Don’t give up. Never give up,” Hill continued. “And I wanna say I love you. Don’t forget that. And I’ll call you again just to check up on you. Love you, bye.” Shortly after, the record’s chords began playing as Nas X held up a notepad with the words “World’s Greatest.”

Inside Lil Nas X’s turbulent year leading up to “World’s Greatest!”

This has been quite the year for Nas X, who spent “a few months” in rehab after he was arrested and charged with four felonies in August 2025. He was taken into custody after allegedly attacking police while walking naked through the streets of Los Angeles. Variety recently reported that Judge Alan Schneider ruled the charges would be dismissed as long as he follows a treatment plan and stays out of legal trouble for the next two years.

Since returning home — and sharing that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder — Nas X appears to be doing much better, thanks in part to the support he’s gotten from his peers and family. In a June update, the “Old Town Road” hitmaker said he’d been spending time with family at home in Atlanta and hanging out with friends in Los Angeles. SZA, Kehlani, Durand Bernarr, Baby Tate, and several other artists showed him love in the comments section.

Then, in a since-deleted post from late August, Nas X shared the heartbreaking news that his mother had died. “RIP TO THE BADDEST EVER! LOVE U FOREVER MOMMY. This one’s gonna hurt,” he wrote alongside a carousel filled with photos of them together.

What “World’s Greatest!” could mean for Lil Nas X’s long-awaited sophomore album

With the release of “World’s Greatest!,” Nas X seems to be back on track to release his long-awaited sophomore effort, DREAMBOY. Over the years, the MONTERO rapper has unloaded several singles in anticipation of its full-length release, including “HOTBOX” and “LIGHT AGAIN!” Both records appeared on the 8-track Days Before Dreamboy, which came out in 2025.

Whatever comes out of it, “World’s Greatest!” is a promising comeback for the musician.