Grammy-winning singer Lil Nax X just got candid about his own coming out, revealing that he’d planned to keep his sexuality secret, and take that secret to the grave.
Nas X, who scored a #1 hit with his song “Old Town Road” came out last summer, and has since become a lauded figure within the LGBTQ community. Now, in an interview with The Guardian, he opens up about the pressures he felt after watching other kids come out in high school, and the bullying they endured.
“The honest truth is, I planned to die with the secret,” Nas says. “But that changed when I became Lil Nas X.”
Related: After a string of late-night thirst tweets, Lil Nas X may soon be entering a life of celibacy
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In the midst of his international success with “Old Town Road,” Nas came out on Twitter last June. He now says he feels liberated by going public. “I 100 percent want to represent the LGBT community,” he says of going public. “I don’t want to encourage them to do something they don’t 100 percent want to do. Especially in, like, middle school or high school. Because it’s just super-hard.”
“It’s easier for me,” he adds. “I’m not depending on anybody. There’s no one who’s going to kick me out of the house — nobody to start treating me sh*tty.”
Nas also went on to say that though he’s come out to his family, he still doesn’t discuss his romantic life at home. The Recording Industry Associates of America has certified “Old Town Road” platinum 12 times over.
succubus
dude, we all did. sup?
Kangol2
It’s great that he’s airing and sharing these thoughts. They resonate with people in ways he might not even imagine. I think of young and even older people all over the globe who are in extreme despair and struggling with external anti-gay rhetoric, laws, violence, etc., and wrestling with internalized homophobia, and even if they are not ready to come out, they see that someone so famous, who could have stayed in closeted/DL and played the game of beards, etc., decided that he was going to take a huge leap and potentially sacrifice his career and bag. He did it, he remained very popular, and he continues to affirm who he is and support other people. He deserves praise for it; I don’t doubt that it’s even helped established celebs like Da Brat come out, as she just did a few weeks ago.
Bob LaBlah
I didn’t want to bring this up when he tweet the other day about his not being gay (I thought it was an April Fools joke) but by now shouldn’t he have a significant other or at least been seen with someone at a gay bar somewhere? Shouldn’t at least a rumor be floating around about a suspected relationship? It might be that he stays at home and watches porn at thats the extent of his sex life but as a celebrity he should is not allowed privacy on all of his personal life, especially being a breakout that he claims he is. By the way, looking at that pic I say I was right about that weight the other day. Come on, look at those shoulders. Country music does not support emaciated men. You have got to or should look the part. Dude needs to start eating more greens with baked macaroni, corn bread and deep fried chicken and snack on ham sandwiches instead of celery sticks and carrot sticks (I’ll bet he does) when he feels hungry between meals.
Brian
You sure you don’t want to tell him to eat some watermelon and pig’s feet too?
Bob LaBlah
Brian, wasn’t that dog mess that Divine picked up and ate at the end of Pink Flamingo’s? Didn’t she also go into the bushes, raise up her dress, take a dump and clean herself off with paper towels just to prove she was the filthiest person in the world?
Kangol2
@BobLaBlah, who knows who he’s dating, but you watch enough TV that I’m surprised you missed him confirming he was dating someone when he appeared on Ellen. He’s clearly discreet about his relationship(s), but the news will be out there soon enough. Hell, more than enough DL celebs don’t get their comings and goings leaked, even today when cameras are ubiquitous. Still, nude photos of him when he was younger have leaked, people unmasked his teenage posts as a Nicki Minaj stan, etc., so TMZ and others will surely be on it. In terms of his physique, he’s 20, soon to be 21, so he’s still very young. He has a lean build but he’ll thicken out as he gets older. I won’t even deal with your stereotypical comment about food but Google it, his favorite cuisine is Japanese, so I guess he’ll have to gorge on tempura and sushi to reach the thickness you’re hankering for.
Back to the topic at hand, I don’t think he’s trying to be a traditional country music star as they’re currently known, but as you note below, you watched Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary, so you do realize that CM musicians come in all sizes and, as Burns underscored, all races. (He didn’t really deal with sexualities to any extent.) It’s 2020, Lil Nas X represents a new generation in that musical genre and others like hip hop, so let him represent however he wants and sees fit. He’s had several other big charting songs, including “Panini” and “Rodeo,” too.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
I admire this kid. Coming from a intensely homophobic culture and having the courage to come out loud and proud as his star is ascending, rather than the usual has been celebs at the tail end of their career as a last gasp “look at me” is a testament to him being genuine and wishing to be a positive influence to Gay kids everywhere…
Mundo
Exactamente!
Black Pegasus
Okay Lil Nas X, we get it…… you’re gay. Time to make some music and transcends your political and social identity. Unless your identity is all you plan on being known for…..
Low Country Boy
I agree. I am about over this insipid queen. I really thought his “I’m not really gay” April Fool’s joke, in the middle of all that is going on with COVID-19, was in extremely poor taste and showed a shocking lack of maturity. He needs to get over himself and start living an out and proud life without the histrionics.
Donston
Well, he’s still asked about it. That’s not his fault. Also, self-understanding and living in your unabashed truth is a difficult thing for many public figures. It’s especially difficult when you’re a black male in the hip-hop world. Letting the world know that you have same-sex attractions, passions, affections, love, romantic interests, relationship preferences- it’s still a major ego and career struggle for many males. So, I can’t hate on him for expressing his struggles. I will say that I need some actual decent music from him. And he’s gonna need that if he plans to stay relevant.
Bob LaBlah
Peg, thanks a million for the tone of your comment. I felt the same way. I don’t get what is so entertaining about tweets which are all about sexuality. Give it a break and make music to prove you aren’t a fluke. There was a PBS special on last year about country music and its origin. It has changed dramatically since its origin (and you would not believe how many blacks had a hand in its origin until they themselves (blacks) made it taboo to be associated with it). If you ever get a chance to see that Ken Burns series you would know what I mean but as far as Lil’ Was X goes I am now wondering is he really a fad that a slick producer in Nashville came up with and it worked. As I said, you should see that series and see just how low many of those white boys were. Did you know Johnny Cash was married to a BLACK woman near the height of his career? That series kept me glued to that television and I am kicking myself for not saving it on the DVR.
Donston
Bob, sweetie, this dude barely posts anything about being “gay”. This “I don’t think gays should throw their gayness in people’s faces” mentality when someone is asked about it interviews and has merely tweeted about it a couple of times- it really highlights your internalized homophobia. And it’s got to go. Stop being pick me’s. Stop trying so hard to fit in with “straight” boys, the closet cases, the hetero-leaning dudes and the “I may like guys, but I’m just like any other dude” fellows. It’s pathetic. Don’t push your gay shame on others. While this guy isn’t even really trying to be a country star. So, your mini rant about country music isn’t even relevant here. Whatever you feel about him and his music should be separate from him being “out”. Also, Bob, you’re an idiot.
thisisnotreal
@donston, kudos my good man. I was wondering if you were going to say anything in response to Bobby boys little homophobic meltdown and you did not disappoint. you took the words right out of my mouth and when I read your reply I admit to getting a nice amount of enjoyment and a grin from it. Nice to know that you can still get bitchy like the rest of us when the occasion calls for it. I knew you had it in you buddy lol.
Kangol2
@thisisnotreal, Donston is often philosophical, but he can read for points when he needs to. As he noted, Lil Nas X keeps getting asked questions about being gay and he answers them. He doesn’t fixate on it, but he also doesn’t avoid it. People are so ready to attack him for silly things like his humorous April Fool’s Day joke, but the joke was on them. If you follow him on Twitter in particular, but also Instagram, etc., you see that he has a great sense of humor and a sharp wit, which also clear sets some queens off live. They also seem to miss the fact that he’s had other songs that rose on the charts, but then nothing is good enough for some people.
Bob LaBlah
Wow! Totally amazing. You are a disturbed individual. How many times must you answer yourself before you are satisfied that you got even, put an old queen in his place, or worse yet try to distance yourself from a stupid response that should have never been made in the first place? You are disturbed and need help. I can only imagine the discipline case you had to be in kindergarten when other kids answered a question from the teacher that you couldn’t answer because you were too stupid to accept that you simply didn’t know because you knew little about the topic. I’ll bet if we were in a bar you would have your hand on your hip and your other limp wrist would have been flailing away trying to pick apart what was relevant and what wasn’t, and thats before you finished your first drink. A number one country song by a black artist in todays world that won a grammy but yet to you a little history about country music and the role that blacks have in it isn’t relevant? Next time just sit there and pout but try to keep your mouth shut or better yet just dont read the comment if the person that made it gets you that upset.
Doctor Benway
Well, he’s questionned about that, so the medias are the one to blame.
djmcgamester
He was scared, he moved past it and the world didn’t end.
Kim2
A 20 year is “showing a lack of maturity”.What a shock.
Low Country Boy
If you are going to run with the big dogs and tout yourself as a “Grammy winner,” grow TF up!
PretenderNX01
Low Country Boy, he is a Grammy winner. He’s not touting himself as one, he won two.
Low Country Boy
Meryl Effing Streep does not refer to herself as a three-time Oscar winner. This little punk keeps referring to her two puny Grammys in EVERY interview. Thirsty and tired.
Kim2
@Low Country Boy
Stop reading his interviews,stop reading articles about him if you don’t like him.Life is too short to be miserable.
jackscott
I’m so sick about hearing about this guy. He had one mildly catchy song, the rest were garbage! Next, please!!!
Low Country Boy
Yes, Sir!
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PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
This kid is out and proud. Has never made any negative comments, broke any laws, or spewed hatred or bigotry.
It’s beyond pathetic how these pathetic pernicious noxious trolls continue to slither into this site to post ignorant inane comments attacking him.
Take your asinine child like comments elsewhere, there are thousands of sites that welcome vile, repugnant, repulsive cretins such as yourselves
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dinard38
Well done!!! I couldn’t have said it better. There really are some obnoxious bit*ches on this site.