Lil Nas X cuts an imposing figure. In a gold net tank top that shows off his ripped physique, ballooning brown parachute pants, sky-high heels, and 30-inches of ironed flat hair, even if he wasn’t making an entrance at the premiere of his documentary, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero at the Grammy Museum in DTLA, all eyes would still be drawn to him. The tallest person in the room and studded with bling, the Grammy Award-winning rapper’s outrageous yet flawless style makes him larger than life. This image is a great match for his record-breaking music, which resonates with his fans as much as it enrages his detractors. This version of Lil Nas X is a significant part of the documentary. Just as present in the film, however, is Montero Lamar Hill, the person behind the persona.

Shot in verité style, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero takes place during his 2022-2023 tour of the same name. Grammy-winning and Academy Award-nominated director Carlos López Estrada (Raya and the Last Dragon) and director Zac Manuel (Time), a Sundance favorite whose specialty is intimate portraits and Black masculinity, worked in tandem.

Considering how much of Lil Nas X’s communication is on social media – which even he himself admits in the film – it’s refreshing to have this kind of access to him. Lil Nas X’s most revealing moments come when he is speaking from his bed, his chest bare. But we also watch him vomit right before getting on stage, discuss scheduling his pre-show bowel movements, and agonize over whether he can handle wearing a super-short kilt and LGBTQIA+ Balenciaga T-shirt to greet his family.

Switching back and forth in time, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero has its share of flashbacks, but it isn’t an origin story. Much of his backstory is common knowledge. He is named after the Mistubishi Montero. He came out to the world at the height of the popularity of his breakout hit, “Old Town Road,” the reigning record holder for longest running Billboard Hot 100 No. 1. An absolute megastar, his rise was during the pandemic. He performed on some awards shows, but the Long Live Montero Tour was his first time ever playing in front of a concert audience—and the first time he experienced protestors outside the venues. He sent them pineapple pizza. When Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, there was a bomb threat.