Lil Nas X gets some c7osure on the last day of Pride Month
Lil Nas X, star of the hit song Old Town Road, came out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in a tweet where he asked fans to have a deeper listen to his song “C7osure (You Like)” on the last day of Pride Month. “Ain’t no more actin’, man that forecast say I should just let me grow”, he sang in the mentioned song.
The American singer and rapper spoke of being aware of the consequences of coming out, pointing out that “some of y’all not gone fwm no more.”
Lil Nas X has been joining in on the fun reactions on Twitter and making his first tweet more clear by referencing his album cover art and explaining his identity more. The musician also suggested that he was bisexual when he stated, “just cuz i’m gay don’t mean i’m not straight”.
Although Lil Nas X has been playing along with the Twitter antics, his tweet about “C7osure (You Like)” and the song itself really speaks to the freedom that exists in coming out when you can afford to. While “C7osure” does not explicitly reference his sexuality, the song does speak to the restrictive feeling that can come with having to pretend, the difficulties of coming out, and the freedom that makes it worth it in the end.
“I know, I know, I know it don’t feel like it’s time
But I look back at this moment, I’ll see that I’m fine
I know, I know, I know it don’t feel like it’s time
I set boundaries for myself, it’s time to cross the line”
The video highlights the process of coming out for him: feeling the frustration of being restricted, the difficulty of deciding to come out and the freedom that comes later. While he has received some negative reactions online, he’s also really gotten a lot of support from celebrities and fans alike. Celebs that have come out in support include Miley Cyrus and Grownish actor Trevor Jackson.
While the hip hop industry has always been criticised for being sexist and homophobic, Lil Nas X is one of the few people to come out as gay or be openly gay in the industry. He follows a line of artists like Frank Ocean, Queen Latifah, Syd the Kid and Young MA as artists living as openly gay in the hip hop industry.
