What Lil Nas X's New Taco Bell Title Actually Means
The boss of the Billboard charts has a new title: CIO of Taco Bell. That's chief impact officer, and while the title may be honorary and only part of a marketing partnership between Lil Nas X and the fast food chain, it's also a definite promotion from his earlier gig, working a Taco Bell cash register. Taco Bell announced the partnership August 23 in a press release: Lil Nas X will help Taco Bell introduce some new menu items over the next two months, while Taco Bell promotes Nas' new album "Montero," dropping soon.
Lil Nas X will have a role in an ad campaign that starts August 23, promoting the return of breakfast to 90 percent of Taco Bell locations by mid-September. The recording artist who set the record (via Billboard) for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart will also fulfill his "impact officer" role by helping to announce the awards to winners of Taco Bell's Live Más scholarships.
Lil Nas X acknowledged his new role with Taco Bell in a tweet: "Life has come full circle, I officially work at Taco Bell again." In a tweet on May 15 of this year, Nas recognized the fourth anniversary of his first day on the job, working a Taco Bell cash register. This was before his record-breaking No. 1 hit "Old Town Road" and before Taco Bell created a new executive title just for him.
Lil Nas X says he learned a sense of responsibility working at Taco Bell
Taco Bell is confident that Lil Nas X's insider knowledge of Taco Bell will serve him well in his role as chief impact officer. "Lil Nas X knows the job, the experience, and the culture Taco Bell creates for its fans — including its people," Taco Bell CEO Mark King said in the press release. "This unique partnership will deliver on more than just marketing, allowing us to tap into the genius of Lil Nas X to inspire our team members and align with our commitment to unlocking opportunities for young people."
In fact, Lil Nas X was one of those young people who took the lessons he learned on the job at Taco Bell and applied them — along with a huge dose of musical talent — to achieve the level of success he knows today. How successful is he? Earlier this month, Lil Nas X claimed the title of most-streamed male rapper on Spotify (via Hypebeast). In the press release, Nas credited Taco Bell with teaching him how to develop a sense of responsibility as a teenager. Nas even appeared in the recent music video for his song "Sun Goes Down" as his younger self, struggling to find his identity while also working a mop in a Taco Bell dining room.