Explaining why he decided to drop hints about his sexuality so soon after finding fame, the 'Old Town Road' hitmaker expresses his hope that his announcement will open doors for others.
- July 6, 2019
AceShowbiz - Rap sensation Lil Nas X is determined to rise above online trolls' angry reactions to him coming out as gay.
The 20-year-old musician used social media to drop hints about his sexuality after performing his viral country crossover "Old Town Road" alongside Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus at Britain's Glastonbury festival last weekend (June 29-30).
He tweeted to fans that they should "listen closely" to the lyrics of his song "C7osure (You Like)", which contains lyrics about needing to be "free." Since his cryptic coming out announcement he has received some abuse online, but is determined to rise above it with his trademark humour.
"I'm not angry... because I understand how they want that reaction," Lil Nas, real name Montero Lamar Hill, told BBC Breakfast. "So I'm just going to joke back with them."
Revealing why he had decided to come out so soon after finding fame, the hip-hop star added, "I don't want to live my entire life... not doing what I want to do."
He also said he hoped to he was "opening doors" for others and that his fans would "feel comfortable" discussing homosexuality, as it was "not really accepted in either the country (or) hip-hop communities."
"Old Town Road" has topped the charts in the U.K. and U.S, but was initially removed from Billboard's country rundown because it did "not embrace enough elements of today's country music."
Billy Ray opposed the move, and subsequently recorded a remix with Lil Nas that helped the song climb to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, where it has now spent an incredible 13 weeks, the longest stint yet for a hip-hop track.
