Taylor Swift has teamed up with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, from Kendrick Lamar to Ice Spice—but one rapper who nearly joined that list? Lil Nas X.
The Old Town Road hitmaker, 25, revealed that Swift, 35, once invited him to collaborate on a song, but it ultimately didn’t happen.
‘We were working on something,’ he shared with E! on Thursday. ‘She offered to let me try a verse on something, but I couldn’t catch a vibe for it, so it didn’t happen.’
While reflecting on the missed opportunity, Lil Nas X admitted he didn’t ‘even want to talk about it.’
But despite passing on the track, he had nothing but love for Swift and her success.
‘I’m proud of my girl,’ he said. ‘She’s been doing her thing. She’s at the very tippety top. I’m thankful that she even considered me.’
Lil Nas X 25, revealed that Taylor Swift, 35, once invited him to collaborate on a song, but it ultimately didn’t happen; (seen in March)
‘We were working on something,’ he shared with E! on Thursday. ‘She offered to let me try a verse on something, but I couldn’t catch a vibe for it, so it didn’t happen,’ (seen in February)
As for whether fans can still hold out hope for a future collab between the Old Town Road and All Too Well artists, he teased, ‘When it happens… Global. World. Tay-Tay and Nassy.’
While a Swift collab remains up in the air, Lil Nas X has his sights set on another artist—Doechii.
The rapper made history at the 2025 Grammys as only the third woman to win Best Rap Album, and Lil Nas X is eager to hit the studio with her.
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‘My girl’s been doing her thing,’ he said. ‘We’ve been about to get into the studio for like a year, but we’ve never got to it. I just want to get out there.’
Though he’s been relatively quiet about potential projects with Swift, he hasn’t been shy about his admiration.
Back in November, according to fan accounts, he posted a Midnights-themed calendar on his Instagram Stories.
The singer also caught up with People at the GLAAD Media Awards, where he spoke about his artistic evolution following the release of his March EP, Days Before Dreamboy.
‘I wanna be myself more than ever this era,’ he shared. ‘I want to be completely free out there, only doing the things that I wanna do. If I do not want to do it, I’m not doing it.’
While reflecting on the missed opportunity, Lil Nas X admitted he didn’t ‘even want to talk about it,’ but despite passing on the track, he had nothing but love for Swift and her success; (seen in 2021)
‘I’m proud of my girl,’ Lil Nas X said Swift. ‘She’s been doing her thing. She’s at the very tippety top. I’m thankful that she even considered me,’ (Kanye West and Taylor Swift in 2009)
He added, ‘If I don’t want to be there, I’m not gonna be there. I think it’s more important than ever to really stand in myself and my power and recognize where I’m taking my energy and where I don’t want to take it.’
Meanwhile, legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, 77, has thrown his name into the mix of artists hoping to work with Swift.
‘I want to collaborate with Sting and Taylor Swift,’ he revealed during a TalkShopLive stream last week.
He wants to team up with Swift for covers of No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley & The Wailers, Just Like a Woman by Bob Dylan, and Natural Woman by Carole King.
As for Swift, her last album, The Tortured Poets Department, dropped in 2024.
Whether her next project will include Lil Nas X, Doechii, or Santana remains to be seen—but for now, she’s still sitting comfortably at the ‘tippety top.’