Chart-topping musician Lil Nas X has opened up about how his Nirvana-sampling song actually opened the door for him to experience the grunge icons.

Over the last year, just about everyone in the world has found themselves exposed to the chart-topping, genre-bending majesty of Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’. A viral hit ever since it first appeared last year, the tune has even managed to help Nine Inch Nails receive their first Country Music Association nomination (a long time coming, no doubt).

However, while the lion’s share of Lil Nas X’s popularity has been focused upon ‘Old Town Road’, fans have also pointed their attention towards ‘Panini’, a song from the artist’s debut EP. Featuring an interpolation of Nirvana’s ‘In Bloom’, the song has even resulted in Kurt Cobain being credited as a songwriter on the song.

In a new interview though, the artist has explained that not only was the song’s usage unintentional, but that it helped him to finally discover Nirvana in the process.

Check out ‘Panini’ by Lil Nas X:

YouTube VideoPlay

Speaking to SiriusXM (via Billboard), Lil Nas X revealed that he didn’t recognise the similarities while making ‘Panini’, noting that the he must have heard it as a youngster where it was “subconsciously planted into (his) brain.”

“I put the snippet out and everyone was like, ‘Wow, he’s sampling Nirvana’,” Lil Nas X explained. “I was like, ‘Where? I’m not sampling Nirvana. This, the beat doesn’t have Nirvana in it.’

“And then I listened to ‘In Bloom’ in full and I was like ‘Oh OK.'”

However, when asked if anyone like Dave Grohl or Courtney Love had gotten in contact with him about using ‘In Bloom’, he revealed that Kurt Cobain’s daughter, Frances Bean, was the one who have him the approval he needed.

“She’s the one who pretty much approved the song and she told me how much she loved the video for ‘Old Town Road’ and stuff,” he explained. “We follow each other on Instagram. She’s cool.”

“It actually got me into the album for the first time. I had never heard Nevermind.”

Of course, while some musical purists might be shocked that a musician hasn’t heard the best-selling Nevermind, it’s worth noting that Lil Nas X – who blends the styles of hip-hop and country – was born almost eight years after the album’s release.

Whatever the case, we’re just glad that his musical journey has led to him finally experiencing the works of Kurt Cobain.

Check out ‘In Bloom’ by Nirvana:

YouTube VideoPlay

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