Music
Lil Nas X Spent the Weekend Dunking on Conservatives — It Was Great
Governor Kristi Noem even tried to have a go at him, but you can't out troll a child of the internet.
March 29 2021 11:57 AM EST
March 29 2021 8:09 AM EST
MikelleStreet
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Governor Kristi Noem even tried to have a go at him, but you can't out troll a child of the internet.
Before he was topping charts, Lil Nas X was a part of stan twitter. He ran a Twitter account called Nas Maraj and was a massive fan of Nicki Minaj, defending her at all costs. If you have ever seen stan Twitter, you know this means he's a master at social media, particularly in trolling. We've watched him utilize these skills over the past year or so on Twitter, getting headline after headline while doing so. And now, having just released "Montero (Call Me by Your Name,)" where he essentially spits in the face of all conservatives hold dear, he's back at it again with the back at it again. And we can't stop laughing.
If you haven't been paying attention, in "Montero," Nas X combines Greek mythology and Biblical references to essentially tell the story of queer self-empowerment in this world. He traces an arc of being judged and condemned by society for his sexuality, eventually being killed and sent to hell. But on his way there he reclaims his sexuality and harnesses his sexual energy in order to seduce Satan and take over Hell. And given that Satan and Hell have been long upheld as the Big Bads by conservatives, and have been used as a warning stick to beat children into submission, this understandably caused issues.
"Y'all love saying we going to hell but get upset when I actually go there," he tweeted, summarizing the project on Friday. Friday he also announced an action-figure, Stripper Nas X, was "coming soon," as was a pair of Nas X sneakers that were featured in the video. But later that day, the conservatives began their tweeting and Nas X was there prepared.
Robby Starbuck, a Republican candidate for Congress from Tennessee called "Montero" evil and Matthew Betley said that it was "an attempt to destroy our society."
"There is a mass shooting every week that our government does nothing to stop," Nas X replied. "Me sliding down a CGI pole isn't what's destroying society." Betley has since deleted his post.
\u201cy\u2019all love saying we going to hell but get upset when i actually go there lmao\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616768396
\u201cthere is a mass shooting every week that our government does nothing to stop. me sliding down a cgi pole isn\u2019t what\u2019s destroying society.\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616779801
\u201cthere was no system involved. i made the decision to create the music video. i am an adult. i am not gonna spend my entire career trying to cater to your children. that is your job.\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616815154
\u201ci spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the shit y\u2019all preached would happen to me because i was gay. so i hope u are mad, stay mad, feel the same anger you teach us to have towards ourselves.\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616864997
\u201cy\u2019all saying a gay nigga twerking on a cgi satan is the end of times like slavery and the holocaust didn\u2019t happen\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616806239
"The system is targeting kids," Mint Chip Music tweeted, posting a video of Nas X performing "Old Town Road" for children. "Lil Nas X's fanbase is mostly children. They did the same thing with Miley Cyrus after Hannah Montana." To be clear, Cyrus grew up and made a decision to change her aesthetic and output as a result which is something ... people generally do.
"There was no system involved," Nas X responded. "I made the decision to create the music video. I am an adult. I am not gonna spend my entire career trying to cater to your children. That is your job." The 21-year-old made a few points.
There was a lot of criticism of the sneakers he previewed in the video. They boast an inverted crucifix, pentagram, and a "drop of human blood." For them, Nas X teamed up with the New York-based art collective MSCHF who used Nike Air Max 97s as the base. Nike had nothing to do with them and has released a statement saying they do not endorse the styles. There are 666 pairs, priced at $1,018 apiece referencing the bible verse Luke 10:18 that says "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."
\u201cy\u2019all just be talking\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616862431
\u201ccoming soon \u2763\ufe0f\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616774395
\u201cur a whole governor and u on here tweeting about some damn shoes. do ur job!\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616957575
\u201c\u201cShoot a child in your mouth while I'm ridin'\u201d\n\n-Montero 1:08\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616962708
As backlash began to mount, Lil Nas X uploaded a video to his YouTube titled "Lil Nas X apologizes for Satan shoe." But after a few seconds of "apology", the clip cuts to footage from the music video of Nas X's lap dance. We are talking about a master troll here.
Governor Kristi Noem, who currently is holding the top office in a state that has some of the highest death rates from the ongoing global pandemic, tweeted about the shoes.
"Our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it's 'exclusive.'" she wrote. To be clear: that there are only 666 styles does make it relatively exclusive given how massive runs can be. "But do you know what's more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul."
Nas X didn't hesitate in responding.
"You're a whole governor and you on here tweeting about some damn shoes," he wrote. "Do your job!" Noem decided to respond.
"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" the South Dakota politician wrote, quoting Matthew 16:26 from the bible.
"Shoot a child in your mouth while I'm ridin'," Nas X responded, quoting his own song.
All 666 pairs of the sneakers sold out within a minute of release on Monday.
\u201cu can\u2019t last 30 seconds in bed with your wife\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616979314
\u201ci literally sing about lean & adultery in old town road. u decided to let your child listen. blame yourself.\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1616990103
\u201cwe are in a pandemic and y\u2019all are going on day 5 of being mad at a gay nigga who don\u2019t do none but tweet all day\u201d— i am reading all that (@i am reading all that) 1617001940
Many of these critics have pointed to the popularity of "Old Town Road" with children as to why it was wrong that he now do something more adult. To be clear, as Nas X points out, the song included some extremely adult content. In addition, over the past few months, the performer's content as been increasingly adult. He talked about bottoming in "Holiday" while kissing himself in a promotional image, he asked "where the dick at" in another clip of a song, and then in the lead in to "Montero" he recreated some Michelangelo nudes.
If you don't want your children listening to Lil Nas X ... maybe just tell them to not?
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Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.
Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.