Lil Nas X answers kids’ hilariously awkward questions about coming out
(YouTube/All Def Music)
Lil Nas X answers kids’ hilariously awkward questions about coming out and what it means to be “unapologetically you”.
The “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” rapper has faced backlash in recent weeks about the possible ‘negative influence’ his song and its salacious music video might have on children. But it turns out the two-time Grammy winner is actually a hit with the kids.
Lil Nas X appeared as a guest on the Wednesday (14 April) episode of the YouTube series Arts & Raps on the All Def Music channel. The series routinely involves Zaria and Dilan, the kids who host the show, interviewing celebrities as they work on artwork.
As the two kids began to paint, the rapper explained to Zaria and Dilan what it means to come out of the closet.
“It means you’re like, ‘Hey everybody, I’m this thing, and you guys didn’t even know that, but now you know,'” Lil Nas X said.
Zaria immediately asks about why someone might be in the closet. He explained that when someone says they’re “this thing” the other person’s “mind shifts completely”, despite “how close you are to them or whatever”.
But then Dilan responded with his own story about a closet – albeit a literal one. He said: “Me and my older cousin, he keeps pushing my brother into the closet. And we close the door and blink the lights on and off, and then say ‘666’ or ‘Bloody Mary’. And then he swore he saw something.”
Lil Nas X – who struggled to reign in his laughter during the anecdote – jokingly admitted “that’s exactly what happened to me”. “That’s exactly what I meant when I said I was coming out of the closet,” he said.
Later in the interview, Zaria asked what it means to be “unapologetically you” – a theme that Lil Nas X imbibes in his music. The rapper responded that it means “just doing yourself at all costs, no matter who’s watching”.
“It gets really hard, because everybody in the world, we always think about what everybody else is thinking about us,” Lil Nas X said. “Sometimes, we forget to think about what we think about ourselves, you know?”
Zaria said Lil Nas X “really inspired” her because he’s “not afraid to be you” and doesn’t appear to care what others think. But Lil Nas X admitted: “I won’t say that I don’t care. It’s like I’m able to care and push it off my shoulder.”
The interview also included some moments where Lil Nas X struggled to respond to the kids’ questions. He was asked what “mommy milking” is and about a busty moment inspired by his iconic Nicki Minaj Halloween costume.
