Last week, Lil Nas X took to twitter to criticise a perceived snub from Black Entertainment Television’s annual BET Awards, with the rapper writing that he’d received “an outstanding zero nominations” for the second year in a row, in a since-deleted tweet. “Black gay people have to fight to be seen in this world,” he continued. “Even when we make it to the top, mfs try to pretend we are invisible.”
Now, he’s doubled down, sharing a snippet of a new song titled ‘Late to Da Party’ featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again that begins with Lil Nas repeating the phrase, “Fuck BET.” In a follow-up tweet, the rapper elaborated on the homophobic attitudes that he believes fuelled the
“This not over no BET award this is about the bigger problem of homophobia in the Black community,” Lil Nas tweeted. “Y’all can sit and pretend all u want but imma risk it all for us.”
late to da party ft. yb
coming soon ?? https://t.co/vMIJMvIZXZ— i am reading all that (@LilNasX) June 7, 2022
this not over no bet award this is about the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community, y’all can sit and pretend all u want but imma risk it all for us.
— i am reading all that (@LilNasX) June 7, 2022
A spokesperson for BET has since issued a statement refuting some of Lil Nas X’s claims, clarifying that none of its employees are responsible for the voting process. “We love Lil Nas X,” a representative told Deadline.
“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: he performed “Old Town Road” with Billy Ray Cyrus at BET Awards 2019 and his BET Awards 2021 performance was a highlight of our show. No one cheered louder that night than BET.
“Unfortunately, this year, he was not nominated by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of an esteemed group of nearly 500 entertainment professionals in the fields of music, television, film, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, influencers, and creative arts. 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. We are committed to using all of our platforms to provide visibility and inclusion for all of the many intersections of the Black community.”
