5 months before Lil Nas X’s track, “Old Town Road,” the viral rapper uploaded “CARRY ON” to YouTube and Soundcloud. The track explains his distress in his environment, which is a contrast to his hit “Old Town Road,” a song that sounds like it is expressing more freedom. You can also think of the track as a precursor to his #1 single, since CARRY ON’s lyrical content shows the distress he of his environment, which contrasts to “Old Town Road,” a song that represents freedom and letting go of his fears.

The track is produced by Wynter, who originally uploaded a “Pierre Bourne x Playboi Carti Type Beat” on YouTube in early 2018. The beat samples Bobby Caldwell’s “Carry On” (1982), which was also sampled by Madlib on M.E.D.’s (aka Medaphor) “Can’t Hold On” (2005). However, neglect to clear it provoked a 25 million dollar lawsuit against Lil Nas X, producer Wynter, and Sony by The Music Force, claiming he and the producer were “motivated by greed and malicious intent”.