Lil Nas X is nothing if not resourceful. After the 2022 BET Awards nominations revealed no recognition of the pop-rap star, he shared a snippet of a new song currently titled “Late to the Party” which is set to feature NBA YoungBoy and opens in the video with the chant: “Fuck BET.” He’s always known how to spin controversy into self-promotion with expert precision, but he says his BET Awards shutout is one piece of a bigger puzzle.
“This not over no bet award this is about the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community,” the rapper wrote on Twitter. “Y’all can sit and pretend all u want but imma risk it all for us.”
Last year, Lil Nas X scored two chart-topping singles from his debut album MONTERO, including “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and the Jack Harlow-assisted “Industry Baby.” Both singles also received nominations at the 64th annual Grammy Awards.
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“How can I get acknowledged by the most acclaimed award show in the world and then not even just 1 nomination from my own people?” he asked. “Is that not crazy? Am I really tripping?”
On Tuesday, BET issued a statement in response to Lil Nas X’s days-long tirade.
“We love Lil Nas X. He was nominated for a best new artist BET Award in 2020 and we proudly showcased his extraordinary talent and creativity on the show twice,” the network wrote. “Unfortunately, this year, he was not nominated by BET’s Voting Academy … No one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy. At BET, we are passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community.”
The network says its voting academy is made up of “nearly 500 entertainment professionals in the fields of music, television, film, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, influencers and creative arts.”
In a now-deleted tweet, Lil Nas X expressed that it isn’t about him not being nominated specifically, but more so the way “black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world and even when we make it to the top mfs try to pretend we are invisible.”
When people in his replies countered with Frank Ocean and Tyler, The Creator having previously been nominated for BET Awards, Lil Nas X hit back: “Love Frank and Tyler to death but can we admit queer men are more respected when they do less feminine things or am i making that up?”
Lil Nas X took the stage at the 2021 BET Awards for a Michael Jackson-inspired performance of “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” which ended in him tonguing down one of his backup dancers, a cherry-on-top decision that shook the internet. What are the chances he’ll be invited back to perform “Late to the Party” at this year’s show?’
“Don’t try me,” Lil Nas X sings in the snippet. “You better save that shit for somebody else.”
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