It's been over a month and some change since Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X released the super queer, super controversial music video for his banger "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)," and now that some of the dust has settled (he's ready to release another new song from his upcoming debut album in a few weeks when he performs on Saturday Night Live), he's opening up about the infamous track, and how he almost felt like he would be alienating some of the straight people in his fanbase by putting it out into the world.
In an interview for the Pride Issue of Entertainment Weekly (X is one of several cover stars this year, the likes of which include Pose's Mj Rodriguez, Emmy-winning Master of None star Lena Waithe, and SNL comic and podcaster Bowen Yang), X talked openly about some of the hesitations he felt when releasing "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" before realizing that people who would have taken issue with him for it are the same people who never supported him in the first place.
"At first I was really afraid of alienating any of my straight fans," X told Entertainment Weekly. "But then it was kind of like, if they feel offended, they were never really here for me."
He continued:
"They were here for whatever version of myself they made up in their head."
"Once you show the world more of yourself, they can relate more." X later said in his EW interview about the outpouring of love and support he has received in the years since he's been in the public spotlight. "Looking back on history, the biggest icons, the biggest artists are the ones who aren't trying to always make everybody happy and who were doing themselves. I hope to do that at all times."
Read Lil Nas X's full Entertainment Weekly cover story here.
