Lil Nas X doesn’t like BET.
On Tuesday, the rapper shared a teaser video via Twitter for “Late to Da Party”, which features YB. In it, he sings “F–- BET.”
This line was spoken after Lil Nas X had expressed disappointment at being omitted from the nominations for last week’s BET Awards. He also spoke out about the struggle of Black queer musicians for visibility and acceptance, especially among Black audiences.
Lil Nas X criticized the network in a series tweets. This was despite the success his album “Montero” reached No. 2 on Billboard’s 200 albums chart in 2021.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, he wrote “Thank you Bet Awards”. “An outstanding zero nominations once again. black excellence.”
Lil Nas X also addressed online critics, claiming that he is reacting too much to not being nominated. He tweeted, “This is not about no bet award. This is about the larger problem of homophobia within the black community. Y’all can pretend all you want but I will take it all for them.”
The teaser video for his new track features his three previous singles “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” “Industry Baby”, and “That’s what I Want.” All of these songs landed in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2021. He said, “I should put like 3 up in the Top 10,” in the video.
BET released a statement Wednesday following Lil Nas X’s teaser video. It stated that the nominees were selected by BET’s Voting Academy, a group that consists of 500 professionals from the entertainment industry.
The statement stated that “We love Lil Nas X.” “He was nominated in the Best New Artist BET Award 2020 and we proudly displayed his extraordinary talent, creativity and talent on the show twice: he performed “Old Town Road” with Billy Ray Cyrus at the ‘BET Awards 2019 and his BET Awards 2021 performance was a highlight. BET was the loudest cheerer that night.
Ernest Owens, a gay editor at large for Philadelphia Magazine, stated that BET’s statement was “hollow” and suggested that there are fewer LGBTQ+ people involved in the decision-making process at BET’s Voting Academy.
Owens, author and co-author of “The Case for Cancel Culture,” stated that there is no rational way to explain it. “It was homophobic.”
Although other queer artists may not have reached the same mainstream heights as Lil Nas X, the situation with him “is a great example of the struggle that continues” for Black musicians in the LGBTQ+ community, according to Gerrick Kennedy, a Los Angeles-based culture critic and author.
Kennedy mentioned that Jack Harlow was featured in one of his most popular songs, which introduced him to a large audience. Harlow was nominated for the BET Award this year as best male hip-hop artist. Kennedy stated that “at a certain point, you have to sort of ask the question about what’s happening at BET.”
Kennedy said that BET’s snub is notable because Lil Nas X has released three Top 10 songs this year, and also performed “Montero” (Call Me By Your Name), during BET 2021 awards show. Kennedy stated that it was still a struggle for Lil Nas X perform the way he wanted. The performance saw the rapper kissing a male backup dancer during the performance. This prompted backlash and suggestions that he advocate safe sex as well as HIV awareness.
Owens wrote an article about the responses of some Black viewers he called homophobic after Lil Nas X’s performance during the 2021 BET Awards. Owens also noted that artists like Migos can sing lyrics about guns or drugs without having to push for gun safety and abstaining.
Owens stated, “It’s just outright homophobia.”
Kennedy stated that while some Black queer artists like Janelle Monae and Frank Ocean are receiving acceptance, it is slow progress because the LGBTQ community is not meant to be accepted. He also said that societal acceptance of Black men is only possible when people are reminded about their sexuality. Support quickly disappears.
He said that if you consider the acceptance of us, yes, there’s progress. “They see us on these programs. They see us winning these awards… Billy Porter could not tell us last year that he had HIV. Why? Because of the stigma that still exists.”
Lil Nas X’s star rose after his breakout hit “Old Town Road”, which he co-wrote with Billy Ray Cyrus. This song later became the No. 1 single in the country, breaking the record for the longest continuous run of songs to remain at the top. Billboard’s Hot 100 chart ranked him at No. 1. He was also awarded a Grammy for best music videos and best pop duo/group performance. He continued his success with hits such as “Montero” (Call Me By Your Name), which earned him accolades at the American Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards in 2020. Owens stated that while he is successful, Lil Nas X, a young Black queer artist said that he also deals with homophobia and racism in the music industry.
Owens stated that Owens has “broken so many barriers in the music industry and continues to do so, not only as a gay artist but also as a Black artist.” He’s being forced to adhere to a different set standards by not only the white music industry, but also by his peers in Black music.
Kennedy said that Lil Nas X became popular with “Old Town Road,” but queer artists can’t find wide success while being openly gay. Kennedy added, “It’s a shame, but it is also a matter for survival.”
Kennedy stated that Lil Nas X made his public debut during Pride Month 2019, which Kennedy said was important because he is a young Black man who is navigating his sexuality before the whole world, and he is doing it as one the biggest pop stars in the world at the same.
Owens stated that Lil Nas X was excluded from BET’s nominations. Owens added that Lil Nas X’s success is due to his career milestones and being true to himself. Owens also said that Lil Nas X’s support from Twitter fans is “just another sign of how much we are winning.”
