Lil Nas X is unapologetically and openly gay and his art reflects that stance. Of course, a young, proud, gay and extremely talented Black man poses a problem for the establishment. In walk the gatekeepers who have been complaining that Lil Nas X’s art is hypersexual and too gay. These same gatekeepers are asking, “what about the children?” while celebrating Black men singing about all the women they’ve slept with. Critics are also complaining that his new video, “Industry Baby,” is “marketing sexual irresponsibility.” Below are a few more highlights, including Lil Nas’s clapback, via People:
With a little help from Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X managed to flee the facility without detection as a security guard watched the risqué music video for his last single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”
On Sunday, one Twitter user claimed that the rapper “isn’t fighting for gay rights” but instead accused him of “marketing the sexual irresponsibility that’s causing young men to die from AIDS.”
“Being gay is one thing, but being a super spreader is another,” the user wrote. “There’s nothing healthy or helpful about that video. Especially for children.”
Firing back, the artist defended his song and its video, writing, “Y’all be silent as hell when n—– dedicate their entire music catalogue to rapping about sleeping with multiple women.”
“But when i do anything remotely sexual i’m ‘being sexually irresponsible’ & ‘causing more men to die from aids,’ ” he said. “Y’all hate gay ppl and don’t hide it.”
I thought “Industry Baby” was a banger and I love how Lil Nas brought everything together. I laughed when I saw the blurred out genitals of the men dancing in the shower and all the inmates dressed in hot pink jumpsuits. Like, at this point I am a Lil Nas X stan. I love how Lil Nas handles these fake spiritual people who use spirituality and children to cover their bigotry. Lil Nas sees right through their bigotry and they hate him for it. Lil Nas doesn’t care about politeness. He is using his art to express the very thing he was taught to hate. I love how Lil Nas tells his critics to admit they hate gay people and to work on themselves. I do not believe Lil Nas expresses his queerness because he is trying to be controversial. I believe Lil Nas only sees what he does as art. And you can tell that he is obsessed with using symbols throughout the video. Every aspect of Lil Nas’s video is hella detailed. I hope he continues to produce art that is reflective of his lived experience and that pushes boundaries. And I also hope that Lil Nas’s critics get to continue to watch him glow up. They can burn for all I care (pun intended).
Here’s a link to “Industry Baby,” which is NSFW.
Agree! I stan as well. I love his art and I’m grateful he’s sharing his expression with the world. I hope he stays safe and I look forward to watching his career as an artist.
Same! Only love and appreciation for this icon!
These are the same people who will exhaust themselves defending Bill Cosby and R Kelly but “Oh my God, the children!” When it comes to Lil Nas X. A lot of people on Twitter said that straight men obsess more about gay men and sex than actual gay men. They need to ask themselves why they are so triggered by this. The same men who have sex with women with no protection, the women end up pregnant,and then they don’t want to support the child!
My theory is that it disturbs them to see how far men will objectify their sex partner/object. Its “normal” to do it to women so they don’t care about that all over TV, but when a man objectifies other men, its frightening as all hell and suddenly it seems over the top to them. It suddenly feels UNSAFE for them, just like its UNSAFE for us women, too. And it feels “in your face”- just like its in your face when its women (but sure thats ok cos its “normal”).
But its been like this for women since forever!??! The are simply fully blind and ignorant, until they get a taste of their own medicine.
But rather than looking in, they decide to label others as wrong and guilty.
My opinion is that men are horrified and ashamed of how far they are taking everything with no regrets. (and yes, women are getting onboard with this thinking they can “own” it and make it somehow better) But men are enjoying this obsession too much to look in and call it for what it is- absurd. Whether aimed at men or women, the constant hypersexuality is just absolutely absurd. It only APPEARS obvious when its something new or different. And its only bad, when it could happen to THEM.
The amount of MVs where women are just sex objects hanging around men, with no other purpose than to raise the status of those men by showing they are available to them, is huge.
Pay attention to MVs from the 90s onwards and see how much it happens.
I stop watching MVs when I see that and that excludes a lot of Western music for me.
Let them do something about that first.
Thank you for this. I hadn’t considered it from that angle but it makes a hell of a lot of sense.
Dang, TeeHee, that’s quite an insightful take on it. Never thought of it that way, but you’re probably spot on.
The existence of art and entertainment with sexual content like this is not what’s really unsafe for queer men or women though. The danger is in the attitudes encouraged toward people who deviate from what’s been taught as right, toxic masculinity, and the whole boys will be boys mindset. To a male or person who already buys into some of that with women, it’s easy to have that reaction to a gay man showing his sexual side too.
Yep, they are so FOS. It’s not even funny. And so obvious too.
Lil Nas X is an absolute joy, and I love that he’s not polite. He has no reason to be when people act so vile. He’s an original, and he’s got the talent and intelligence to back up his artistry. And my goodness, he’s just the cutest thing. Who could be mad at that face?
So true.
I love Lil Nas X too! And I love how he used this music video to raise money for the Bail Project. He’s amazing and I can’t wait to see what music he creates next.
(Also as a queer person who grew up in a homophobic church I’d argue he’s great for the children. The way Lil Nas X has embraced and celebrated his sexuality is such an important counter narrative to the self loathing still taught to LGBTI+ children).
Love him!
Same. I really love him.
Me too. He’s great.
Me too. He’s awesome.
The same people who clutch their pearls over Lil Nas’ videos (or WAP) are dead quiet when DaBaby is coming out with songs like Throat Baby, Future is rapping about all the drugs he’s been taking or tappers like the King Vons of the world rap about all the crimes (incl. murders) they’ve committed.
i am so thankful i don’t know any lyrics to throat baby or ever heard the song. i will take many pains to keep it this way.
B****** and H*** used liberally in rap, hip hop etc. .. crickets. Black boy joy and a young man celebrating adult consensual sexuality = outrage.
This young man’s music is not my taste but I applaud his creativity and as a middle aged black woman i am happy to see a young black man happily out and proud and living his life. Good!
He’s right it’s ok for women to be naked dancing around but heaven forbid a guy is… I love Lil Nas X
Seriously, remember Christina Aguilera’s ‘Dirty’ video? Or half of the pop videos that came out when I was growing up. This level of nudity/sexualization is far from new-people are just pissed off that it’s not heteronormative.
To be fair, most women from Christina Aguilera then to Megan thee Stallion now got a lot of abuse for rejecting female modesty in their art. It’s coming from the same people coming after Lil Nas X now too. There’s a lot of overlap there. But the backlash is definitely homophobic and about people clinging desperately to traditional values.
I don’t think enough people appreciate how much courage and strength it takes to be Lil Nas X. 🔥 ❤️
I absolutely do. I’m too old to be his target demographic, and I admit I don’t seek out his music, but I so appreciate what he’s bringing to our culture.
This x 10000000
I really do try to appreciate it, and I’m in utter awe of how out, proud, unapologetic, and talented he is. As another commenter pointed out, he’s neither polite nor subtle about his art and his mission, and I freakin’ LOVE that in a person. I see him as a role model, and he makes me want to speak up even louder for what I believe in.
It is a parent’s responsibility to censure what their kids see but it is getting harder to do this! I don’t let my young kids watch anyone singing about sleeping and /or disrespecting women or men. And maybe that guy complaining about Nas’s video does the same, so it isn’t necessarily about racism but about sexual content in videos. Nas is making an assumption about this man. Really tired of everyone throwing the race card when it might just be a parent who wants to protect their child from things they consider too adult and too mainstream. It might just be about the sex, not the color of their skin or orientation.
I try to keep my kids from watching adult things like this, but it is frustrating when other parents don’t care. We live on a hyper-sexual world and it is getting more and more difficult to protect young children from sexualized media that they aren’t ready for. one of the reasons Lil Nas is so famous is because he gets people talking about his work. Like any artist, controversy is good. So maybe he should be thanking this man! Lil Nas loves the attention.
@koolaiddrinkergal you know, I was reading your comment with an open mind because I come from a Christian background and even though I’m very liberal I have friends who aren’t and who complain about the difficulty of shielding their children as well but then you said “race card” and that let me know you’re not commenting or operating in good faith. Firstly because yes, race is an issue in this world in almost everything, whether ppl like to admit it or not, and secondly, because this article is more about his sexuality than his race (though homophobia in the black community is a topic all on its own and there are links). All this to say, please take a deep hard look at your knee jerk reaction. Racism is not a game for the “race card” to be played and maybe parents who want to shield their children do have a harder time but it’s not impossible and I personally believe that children should be taught in age appropriate ways about the world we live in.
Thank you @Lilpeppa40
smh at @KoolaidDrinergal and their invoking the “race card” bs Seriously. The only people who say that are…well, let me just say, they don’t suffer from the effects of racism, they are not in fear for their lives daily from rabid white supremacists and the systemic plague of racism that is infused into every facet of this country and its inception. Enjoy your life, KoolaidDrinker, but stay away from our precious icons. He doesn’t need you or your kids as fans anyway.
I don’t see how Lil Nas should be thankful for a homophobic post when he became famous based on his own talents. Surely, everyone in the entertainment industry loves attention but I very much doubt that gay people, famous or not, like to be accused of being an AIDS super spreader. The use of “race card” says a lot about where your argument is coming from. Unfortunately, the world can’t shelter your kids, mine including, from sexual images/videos. Educating them about safe sex and contents meant for adult might be more helpful than trying to control how a grown man performs his art.
So it’s not enough to try to shield teens and tweens in your own household from all sexual content- you need other parents to equally share your outrage too? That’s a lot of control.
Wanting a successful career does not mean a person has to be quiet about, or take blame for, the abuse they get along the way. Whether it’s a gay man of color being told by homophobes that he’s to blame for stds and being gaslighted about his sexuality for others to see , or any woman or teenage girl being told that she’s to blame for sex crimes or other violence and being gaslighted about her sexuality for others to see.
It is a parents responsibility when it comes to their OWN kids, so stay the hell out of my household.
Both my kids are Bi and we watched this video together, so happy for Lil Nas X.
We had a talk about how he is being brave and trailblazing for the queer younger generations.
That shock videos like this have a lot of value in eventually normalizing things like boy joy
It also opens up opportunities to talk about safe sex and consent.
I was brought up fundie evangelical and I don’t subject my children to that because it is inherently homophobic and racist and just plain hateful.
Lil Nas X videos and TikTok’s have also lead to talks on racism, homophobia in both the black and white community
I am raising my white boys who have privilege to understand that they do and to see the world with open eyes.
I love Lil Nas X and his joy and bravery so much, and I love his music and buy it.
You brought up the race card when that wasn’t the focus of the discussion, so we know your coming from a point of racism.
And your obvious homophobia.
The sex and nudity isn’t your problem, it’s the fact your teaching your kids to be hateful.
Work on yourself
@Kkat, great comment. You sound like an amazing parent. ❤️
@koolaiddrinkergal – Echoing the sentiments here that saying “race card” shows people exactly who you are. As if it’s a game people of color can play. 🤦🏽♀️ And you sound pretty homophobic as well. So I’m not sure what exactly you’re teaching your kids?
From the perspective of an ex-vangelical, all you’re going to do with the approach you describe is screw your kids up when it comes to sex/sexuality. The fact is you can’t shield your children from everything. It’s better to have open discussions and teach kids about things like consent, consent, and oh yeah, consent. Also safe sex. Hopefully you’ll take these comments to heart.
He’s breaking down a lot of walls and empowering people, which is great, but it’s funny to hear people talk like this video is high art: he’s a talented, horny kid who’s been given carte blanche, hence he has a video with loads of naked guys shaking their asses. I’m glad he’s doing it, but I’m more curious to see where it goes than where it is.
Man, I am old.
I remember when David Lee Roth and Van Halen were considered outrageous on stage. 😀
DLR shirtless, wearing ass less chaps and carrying a large open bottle of Jack Daniels thru entire stadium filled concerts.
The current music is not my taste but, IMO, in order to get PR, the shock value will always win.
Only trouble with that is, gotta keep coming up with new ways to shock folks.
Oldtown Road is the only song I know from LNX.
As for the WAP = I’ve seen that video. No thanks.
If the females can get raunchy in their vids, so can the men. Fair play.
As for “what about the kids” OFF Button still works at my house.
If you don’t like him, don’t watch his videos or listen to his songs. The world does not revolve around YOUR children. You know the same kids who you let play violent video games for hours each day…the same kids who watch half naked chearleaders before each football game. Shut up. He doesn’t need to apologize for being who he is…he seems like a great person. Focus your hatred on the rapists and murderers of the world instead.
Whenever someone is upset ‘about the children’, I want to ask them their stance on Polanski, Allen, Jimmy Page, Luc Besson, Elvis.
Maybe even what their stance was on Stoddens teen ‘marriage’ at the time.
It isn’t about the children. Not really. It’s about ideals and the discomfort they feel when seeing something that bursts their puritanical bubble.
It has NEVER been about the children. It has always been about their prejudices. But now they can’t control the narrative and are flailing…good.
What Lil Nas X left out (but of course he knew) is that they hate black AND gay people. To me, he is beautiful and a symbol of the future as I would like it to be. There is so much hate, I’d like to see him with a ton of security. No kidding.
I LOVE him. Haters can SUCK IT. Full stop. 😉
Yessssssss!!!! 🔥🔥🔥
He’s not doing anything we don’t see women doing in videos all the time, much straight male musicians with their female backup dancers. 🤷🏻♀️ In a way, it’s a good thing, though, because I think marriage rights have lulled a lot of younger LGBT+ people into a sense of a safety and tolerance. The reaction to Lil Nas X is just reinforcement that the acceptance has always been conditional upon us limiting sexual expression that challenges typical sexual and gender norms in the public eye.