![billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay](https://www.irishnews.com/picturesarchive/irishnews/irishnews/2020/01/30/060038357-6f95cd85-7bfd-4ac0-89ad-97dad365a94c.jpg)
Nas’ presentation definitely broke barriers for Black gay artists, especially Black queer men who are fem (feminine) presenting. The combination of explicit gay sexuality and religious figures was sure to stir up conversation within the Black community (and other communities). The Montero video is filled with pastel colors, pinks and soft blues, thigh-high boots, body-hugging underwear, and suggestive dancing. For his Montero video, Nas X chose to portray gayness, or queerness, as a sexually liberated, feminine character. Historically speaking, Black Americans tend to be socially conservative on the topic of homosexuality, while also being relatively religious.
![billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/07/11/magazine/11mag-lilnasx-02/11mag-lilnasx-02-mobileMasterAt3x.jpg)
It’s no secret that queerness is a touchy subject in the Black community. While Nas X didn’t receive a George Micheal response to his own orientation, it was interesting to notice homonegative comments coming from some of the same spaces that supported him during his Old Town Road race controversies. Reaction to his coming out ranged from indifference to disdain.
#Billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay series
Shortly thereafter, Lil Nas would go into more detail about his sexuality in a series of interviews. In June 2019 (Pride month), Lil Nas X revealed on Twitter that he was gay saying, The song would be shut out of winning any country music awards at the CMAs.ĭuring the height of the racial controversy, Nas did receive plenty of support from the Black community and other communities as well. Truthfully, Old Town Road’s only hip hop element was some of its percussion. Country musicians like Niko Moon or Sugarland Band have been allowed to incorporate aspects of other genres without much fuss. The double standard for Nas X was quite obvious. The critics stated that Old Town Road was too ‘hip hop’. Lil Nas X was met with hostility and racism from a noticeable swath of angry country music fans. However, despite his popularity and boy-next-door image, Nas X was still subject to several challenges surrounding his race and participation in country music. Old Town Road would have a record-breaking stay at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Mariah Carey for the most consecutive weeks at number one. His blend of country music and hip hop was a unique sound that set him apart from his peers, which eventually led to a feature from country music veteran Billy Ray Cyrus. Old Town Road catapulted him to peak success, Nas X had millions channeling their inner cowboy. In 2019 Lil Nas X rose to popularity as a musician from his Columbia Records re-release of Old Town Road, he was almost omnipresent. So, why did the Nas X video still garner such a strong reaction? Perhaps for the same reasons why some folks (like myself) believe the video didn’t go far enough –– three words, Black, gay, religion. Outrage over pop culture’s use of religious symbols is nothing new, it’s actually predictable.
![billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay billy ray cyrus on lil nas x gay](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/lil_nas_x-publicity-h_2019.jpg)
Nas’ highly stylistic and colorful visual used religious themes such as the Garden of Eden, angels, and of course, the connective stripper pole lodged between heaven and hell. When the music video debuted, the reaction was reminiscent of early 2000’s pop culture shock –– Janet Jackson’s nipple gate at the 2004 Super Bowl, or more recently Miley Cyrus’ twerking while tongue out, at the 2013 MTV VMAs. When genre-bending musician Lil Nas X debuted his single Montero (Call Me by Your Name) in March 2021, no one could have predicted its accompanying video, nor the outrage that would quickly follow.