Sheletta Brundidge can’t say enough good things about Lil Nas X —and for good reason.
First, she credits his hit song "Old Town Road" with inspiring her nonverbal autistic son to sing.
Now, she has the Atlanta rapper’s support as she navigates new terrain with 4-year-old Daniel.
“I’m happy that my blessings have rubbed off on you guys. And, yeah, I’m here to help in any kind of way that you need me to,” Lil Nas X told Brundidge on Tuesday when he called her at work. “You have my number, and I wanted to make sure you know that.”
Brundidge, who got the conversation on video, is a producer at WCCO Radio in Minneapolis and host of the Two Haute Mamas podcast.
When she was told Lil Nas X was on the phone and wanted to talk to her, she replied, “And Michael Jackson is back from the dead!”
Once she confirmed it was, indeed, the Lithia Springs High School graduate whose song moved her son to sing, she was happy to talk to him. In the emotional video of the call, Brundidge told the rapper he was a light that has given her son a clear path.
“When you and Billy Ray Cyrus were in the studio together, and...he said, ‘Lil Nas X, you’re a light in this world, and you’re gonna shine bright in this universe,’ and let me tell you something, the light that is in you has shined on my son, and it has given him a clear path to how he is going to get healed from autism,” Brundidge said through tears.
» Country remix: Billy Ray Cyrus joins rapper Lil Nas X in 'Old Town Road'
On June 4, Brundidge tweeted a 10-second video of Daniel and their “ ‘Old Town Road’ miracle.”
Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, responded with a tweet of his own.
» Atlanta's Lil Nas X thanks Billy Ray Cyrus with a $150K gift
Since this breakthrough, she said, Daniel has “gone from being Tito to being Michael Jackson!
He’s talking more. He’s singing stuff. He’s playing with his siblings. He’s a new kid.”
The Minnesota mom plans to start playing some MC Hammer and Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” to see if Daniel reacts to it.
“My little cowboy doesn’t do well with ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’!” she exclaimed.
“Old Town Road” quickly climbed the Billboard charts in April and gained national attention when Billboard removed it from the Hot Country Songs chart, declaring it not country enough.
» Billboard removes rapper Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' from country charts
» Atlanta rapper Lil Nas X's removal from country music chart sparks controversy
The song has now spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and even broke the streaming record previously held by Drake.
The Atlanta rapper recently partnered with Wrangler and released a clothing line inspired by the song.
» 'This is how you lose customers': Everyone isn't happy about Lil Nas X, Wrangler collection
Watch the video of “Old Town Road” here:
