(Photo Credit: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Lil Nas X decided to make a big decision and tell the world that he was gay in a social media post on the last day of Pride month.
Following the announcement, he has received both praise, and backlash over his sexuality. Sitting down with BBC Breakfast, he discussed why he decided to tell the world, and how he hopes he can help bridge the stereotypes in both country and hip hop music.
“I mean, it’s just something that I was considering just never doing it, ever, just taking to the grave or something,” he said. “But I don’t wanna just live my entire life—especially, you know, how I just got to where I’m at—just not doing what I wanna do. And I’m also, I feel, opening doors for more people.”
Old Town Road rapper @LilNasX has seen a backlash since he came out earlier this week – but he tells @BBCBreakfast he’s taking it with a sense of humour. pic.twitter.com/9HT9Y4F8ft
— BBC News Entertainment (@BBCNewsEnts) July 5, 2019
He hopes both genres of music can start the road of being more accepting to the gay community.
“That they feel more comfortable,” he said. “Pretty much, because especially within the country and the hip-hop communities, which both songs combine, it’s not really accepted in either.”
As for the backlash, he described how he is going to the hatred spewed to him and troll back.
“I’m already getting it,” he said. “I mean, learning the internet over the past couple years, I used to be that person being negative. I’m not angry or anything because I understand how they just want that reaction, but I’m just gonna joke back with them.”
Things also got a bit awkward towards the end as Lil Nas X still needs to learn a bit of television etiquette after walking through the shot before the hosts were able to toss the segment to commercial.