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Rapper Lil Nas X criticized the BET Awards for "homophobia in the Black community" after he failed to receive a single nomination ahead of this year's show.
The glaring omission happened despite the fact Lil Nas X's debut studio album, Montero, was a smash hit both criticially and commercially, having received nominations at this year's Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Music Video, respectively, while the song "Industry Baby" was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Given the BET Awards aim to celebrate the Black community in music, acting, sports and other fields of entertainment, it seems odd Lil Nas X would be entirely shut out of the annual ceremony, and he made his frustrations known.
Writing on Twitter, the rapper said the lack of recognition was an indication of "the bigger problem of homophobia in the Black community," suggesting he would not stand for those who "sit and pretend" the problem does not exist.
Read his response here:
\u201cthis not over no bet award this is about the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community, y\u2019all can sit and pretend all u want but imma risk it all for us.\u201d— MONTERO (@MONTERO) 1654636198
Lil Nas X later followed up with another tweet acknowledging two other LGBTQ+ artists, Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator, were recognized, but noted they were more likely to receive praise and be exempt from ridicule because they are more masculine-presenting.
He called on the Black community to acknowledge "queer men are more respected when they do less feminine things."
\u201clove frank and tyler to death but can we admit queer men are more respected when they do less feminine things or am i making that up?\u201d— MONTERO (@MONTERO) 1654646437
He later rebuffed criticism his music "sucks," pointing out one of his detractors had failed to answer the question he'd posed to the larger community.
\u201cok cool i suck, my music is terrible, bad nas. now answer the question \u201care queer men are more respected when they do less feminine things\u201d yes or no?\u201d— MONTERO (@MONTERO) 1654648154
Later, responding to a critic who suggested gay men like to make being gay "their whole personality," Lil Nas X posited gay men "should continue making being gay their whole personality" so long as they continue to be jailed and killed in other countries for the simple act of loving who they love.
\u201cgay men should continue making being gay their whole personality as long as we are still being jailed n fckin killed in countries for it.\u201d— MONTERO (@MONTERO) 1654651826
The rapper's words resonated with the wider community.
\u201cThe truth is black Americans don't like gay people. Black gay people know this. Straight black people deny it. White America ignores it.\u201d— Quinn Howard\ud83e\ude90 (@Quinn Howard\ud83e\ude90) 1654719933
\u201che\u2019s spitting FACTS. y\u2019all only eat subtle queers, queers who only mention it in their music and every once in a while will wear a rainbow pin. the black community HATES gays who actually live out loud\u201d— unfriendly black hottie (@unfriendly black hottie) 1654697360
\u201cSpeak that truth sir \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\u201d— Ryklynn Quinn (@Ryklynn Quinn) 1654714293
\u201cMy play son out here showing the people how it's done!!\u201d— Parenting Decolonized (@Parenting Decolonized) 1654661126
\u201cLove this!!! Keep fighting for what\u2019s right! Our community needs to treat our queer brothers and sisters better!!!\u201d— KELKEL (@KELKEL) 1654646864
\u201cThe heroes in this world are the artists and they make or have made unimaginable sacrifices.\n\nAnd if you think he is just "fussing over an award," you have not read enough Black Queer history and that's not your fault because it's been kept that way.\u201d— \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0fConstantine\u27a1\ufe0f??? (@\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0fConstantine\u27a1\ufe0f???) 1654668239
\u201cLove that he\u2019s outwardly tackling rampant homophobia in the community.\u201d— Patrick Lockwood, the People's Psychologist \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Patrick Lockwood, the People's Psychologist \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1654650435
\u201cHe\u2019s 1000% correct!\u201d— multibottom of madness! (@multibottom of madness!) 1654707950
Lil Nas X faced a lot of homophobic backlash since coming out in 2019, the year his country rap single "Old Town Road" dominated the popular music charts.
"Old Town Road" was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 at the time Lil Nas X came out as gay, becoming the only artist to do so while having a number-one record.