Lil Nas X has fired a warning shot to the music industry for the restrictions it places on LGBT+ musicians during an interview with CBS on Sunday (2 January). #LGBT+
“It’s always been, ‘OK, if you’re gay, this needs to be sanitised. Let’s not include anything sexual,’” he said.
“It’s like, ‘Be gay without being gay. We don’t wanna know what happens behind closed doors, or we don’t want you to express that.’”
However, the musician also admitted that he’s “definitely more out there” than other openly-gay artists in the industry.
Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, is no stranger to stirring controversy with his work. Previously, he has riled up conservatives by releasing limited-edition Nike ‘Satan shoes’ with New York art collective MSCHF. Each shoe contained a drop of human blood, coming complete with a pentagram and inverted cross tag.
Among the many critical of the footwear release was right-wing political pundit, Candace Owens. She hit out at Lil Nas X for “promoting Satan shoes to wear on our feet”, adding: “But we’re convinced it’s white supremacy that’s keeping Black America behind. How stupid can we be?”
Lil Nas X remained unperturbed, clapping back with a quote tweet: “You know you did something right when she talks about it.”