Lil Nas X’s latest song honors his late mother in a special way. The emotional new song and music video, “World’s Greatest!” pays the ultimate tribute to his mother, Tamikia Hill, who passed away in August 2026, using the final voicemail she left him as the track’s emotional centerpiece.
On the track, he honors his mother’s memory and reflects on his journey from Atlanta to global stardom.
Centering the heartfelt song on a poignant voicemail from his late mother, Nas uses her opening message—”walk by faith, not by sight”—as a personal anchor, framing the track as a powerful tribute to her enduring presence.
By weaving her voice into the track, Nas forever immortalizes their bond and turns grief into a powerful narrative of faith, memory, and healing.
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Earlier this week, Nas posted a deeply personal moment when he announced the new single alongside a clip of himself listening to a voicemail from his late mother on Instagram.
”Hey. Doobie, been calling you multiple times today. I just wanna say love you, keep your head up, continue to walk by faith, not by sight,” Hill said in the voice note. “Let go and let God handle the rest. Everything else is gonna work itself in its own place.”
”Don’t give up. Never give up,” Hill continued. “And I wanna say I love you. Don’t forget that. And I’ll call you again just to check up on you. Love you, bye.”Moments later, the song’s chords kicked in as Lil Nas X held up a notepad displaying the words “World’s Greatest.”
Since his rise to superstardom, Nas and his mother have had a complex relationship. Raised primarily by his father following his parents’ early divorce, Nas has spoken candidly about the strain caused by his mother’s long-standing struggles with substance addiction, noting that while they weren’t close, he continuously tried to help her.
In a 2020 Variety interview, he opened up about her ongoing struggles with addiction, candidly noting that they remained distant despite his repeated efforts to support her.
“Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out,” he said at the time. “But there’s still love.”
The song follows the two-time Grammy winner facing numerous personal challenges over the past year and a half. As The Root previously reported, in a chaotic incident in August 2025 on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles, he was arrested and charged with four felony counts, including battery on police officers. Pleading not guilty, his defense highlighted a severe mental health crisis, ultimately leading to a bipolar disorder diagnosis and a court-ordered mental health diversion program to avoid prison time.
Following his time in rehab, “Old Town Road” singer shared an update on his health status.
“First, where I’ve been: I’ve been in rehab for a few months, and since then I’ve been, you know, back at home, whether it’s in Atlanta with my family or Los Angeles with myself, friends and whatnot,” he posted on Instagram. “I’ve been trying to ground myself down to earth and get out of my head.”
With this new release, Nas used his artistic talents to transform his personal grief into a powerful tribute, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into his bond with his late mother. Despite their personal struggles and battles, channeling such profound heartbreak into his music, Nas honors Tamikia Hill’s memory in the most personal way he knows—ensuring that her voice and legacy live on through his work.
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