Lil Nas X is known for pushing boundaries with his music. The rapper went viral when he released his single “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus in 2019. This song sparked a conversation about race and what qualifies as country music.

He has incited a dialogue yet again with the latest music video for his hit song “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name).” However, the discussion this time largely consists of negative backlash because of the nature of the music video.

Critics voiced their opinions, saying that the rapper went too far in his music video because it depicted the devil and religious imagery as well as overt sexuality. Many parents have accused the rapper of being a devil worshipper, while claiming that younger audiences remain his key demographic since the success of “Old Town Road.”

Besides parents, most of the criticism the rapper faced is from deeply religious white individuals. One Facebook user named BMackWrites stated, “Lil Nas is a whole new level of demonic. Some of y’all better check your kid’s playlist. Stay in the KNOW!”

Other comments were openly anti-Black. Conservative commentator Candace Owens tweeted, “We’ve turned George Floyd, a criminal drug addict, into an icon. We are promoting Satan shoes to wear on our feet. We’ve got Cardi B named as Woman of the Year. But we’re convinced it’s white supremacy that’s keeping Black America behind. How stupid can we be?” She continued to criticize Lil Nas X and his new shoe design based on the music video until he intervened and said, “you know you did something right when she talks about it [sic].”

Other Twitter users made homophobic comments such as, “this cover gay, i fux wit the song tho. [sic]” Lil Nas X clapped back at this bigoted critique of his album art by saying, “the song gay too bro [sic].” 

Although Lil Nas X has tried his best not to give too much attention to the hate, he has spoken out about the accusations. On Twitter, he wrote, “i am an adult. i am not gonna spend my entire career trying to cater to your children. that is your job [sic].” He made it clear to parents that there are no demonic intentions behind his latest music video nor was he intentionally promoting it to younger audiences. 

It is incredibly disheartening to see that people missed the message of the video. Lil Nas X is a talented artist who is not afraid to speak up for what he believes in. He uses his music as a form of art that conveys his values and beliefs. His latest music video had no evil agenda or intent. He was depicting his journey to accept his sexuality to his audience and characterizing the church’s demonization of the LGBTQ+ community. 

On the purpose of his video, he tweeted, “i spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the sh– y’all preached would happen to me because i was gay [sic].”

His music video challenges the homophobic ideologies often found within religion. He wants people to be aware of the hatred queer people face from religious institutions to this day. This homophobic rhetoric teaches LGBTQ+ folk to hate who they are.

Lil Nas X spent most of his teenage years hating himself because of his sexuality. His teenage self would have never made a music video like “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name).” The song is a call to action for people to embrace what makes them unique. The rapper does not want his fans to feel the same way he felt when he was a teenager or limit their capabilities. But when Lil Nas X tries to pass this powerful message on through his art, the amount of hate he receives is enormous. 

Members of the LGBTQ+ community often face extreme criticism for daring to be open about their sexuality. Black gay artists experience harsher scrutiny for freely expressing their sexuality. They struggle to have their voices heard. 

People condemned Lil Nas X for using religious imagery in his music video and used that to justify the large amounts of racist and homophobic backlash he received. But other artists have done exactly what the rapper did and have not received such public outcry.

Madonna did it, as did Mötley Crüe and many others. Madonna showed burning crosses in her music video for her song “Like a Prayer,” and Mötley Crüe wrote a song called “Shout at the Devil.” Those artists were considered controversial but inspired, whereas Lil Nas X has been labeled a menace to society. 

His latest music video might not be enough to accurately carry his message, getting lost in the controversy. Our society continues to try to silence openly Black gay artists, spreading continuous hatred towards the art without taking the time to consider its meaning. Rather than focusing on Lil Nas X’s point on the struggles the LGBTQ+ community faces at the hand of Christian institutions, people would rather focus on the presence of the devil in his music video. T

The devil is present to respond to how queer folk are told they have been condemned to hell by the church. The rapper does not have any satanic agenda. The racist and homophobic comments, especially from Twitter, only work to discredit the artist from speaking on these issues. These comments prove that there is still extreme racism and homophobia present in America. The pushback is endless, and Black gay artists may refrain from making bold moves in the future as a result. 

Lil Nas X should, and hopefully will, continue expressing his values through art. If there is anyone committed enough to fight against such restraints, it is Lil Nas X. He has taken a humorous tactic to respond to attacks on Twitter, refusing to give his critics power, and fans have followed his example.