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Mariah Carey congratulates Lil Nas X on breaking her record for longest-running No 1 single in US

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC - JULY 11: Mariah Carey performs during 2019 Festival D'été Quebec at Plains of Abraham on July 11, 2019 in Quebec City, Canada. Photo: imageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
Mariah Carey has congratulated Lil Nas X on breaking her chart-topping record (Credit: imageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX)

Mariah Carey has sent her love to Lil Nas X as he broke her record for longest-running No 1 single to top the US chart.

The rapper’s song Old Town Road featuring Billy Ray Cyrus has become the longest-running single to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, staying at number one for 17 weeks. That eclipses the 16 weeks Mariah’s 1995 collaboration with Boy II Men One Sweet Day spent in the top spot.

Mariah posted a mock-up image of herself handing over a torch to Lil Nas X, saying: “Sending love & congrats to @lilnasx on breaking one of the longest running records in music history!”

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She added: “One Sweet Day will always hold a special place in my heart and I want to thank anyone who's ever told me how this song has affected them and their loved ones.”

The 20-year-old rapper posted his own celebration online.

He said: “I am so thankful that this blessing has been placed upon me. This song has changed my life and the way I see the world around me in less than a year.

“Thank you to every single person who has been apart of this journey.”

Billy Ray Cyrus, 57, congratulated Lil Nas X, saying: “Congratulations my friend @LilNasX You sir are what ya call a "game changer ". Love ya man. You are a light.”

The track sparked a race debate in March this year when Billboard announced it was removing it from the Country Chart, saying: “While Old Town Road incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version”.

Lil Nas X hit back with a picture of himself in a cowboy hat captioned: “Can’t say I ain’t country.”

The rapper came out as gay in June this year at the end of Pride month.

Read more: Lil Nas X is the target of homophobic comments

He wrote: “Some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone [f*** with me] no more. But before this month ends I want y’all to listen closely to c7osure.”

Lil Nas X included a rainbow emoji, directing his fans to listen to his song c7osure which includes lyrics about being your true self.