Lil Nas X Calls Out BET for Awards Snub: 'Black Gay People Have to Fight to Be Seen'

Lil Nas X is calling out the BET Awards for their lack of support of "Black excellence." After the network announced the nominations for this year's awards on Wednesday morning, the Montero artist took to Twitter to vent his frustrations about being snubbed by the show for the second year in a row -- and on the first day of Pride Month and Black Music Month, too.

"Thank you, BET Awards. An outstanding zero nominations again," the 23-year-old sarcastically wrote in a now-deleted tweet. "Black excellence!"

When asked why he believed his work deserved nominations, Lil Nas X pointed out the success of his debut album, which included three singles -- "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)," "That’s What I Want" and "Industry Baby" -- on the Billboard Top 10 chart and eight more in the Hot 100. The album went platinum in the United States, earned placements on a slew of year-end lists and earned various accolades, including five GRAMMY nominations.

"I feel like that should've helped me a bit," he noted.

In a final since-deleted tweet, the openly gay artist explained his frustrations, explaining that it was less about his lack of nominations and more about what he feels is a lack of acceptance from his own community.

"I just feel like black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world and even when we make it to the top mfs try to pretend we are invisible," he wrote.

The GRAMMY winner has had a shaky past with the BET Awards. Last year, Lil Nas X performed his hit single, "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," during the awards show, where he ended the performance by sharing a passionate kiss with dancer and then-boyfriend Yai Ariza.

The performance received a wave of homophobic backlash, which the musician met with fiery pushback.

"Y’all hate yourselves so much. Y’all live your lives trying your best to appease straight ppl," the artist wrote in response to a tweet -- which has since been deleted -- featuring a video of an older gay man slamming his shirtless appearance. "Y’all are uncomfortable with what i do because y’all are afraid they will be uncomfortable with you."

"Work on yourselves, i love who i am and whatever i decide to do. get there," he added.

One critic tweeted at the singer, "You’re so insecure about your sexuality you’re over compensating for it every chance you get. Gay people who know themselves don’t constantly have to remind everyone that they are gay."

Lil Nas X responded, "You’re right i am insecure about my sexuality. i still have a long way to go. i’ve never denied that."

"When you’re conditioned by society to hate yourself your entire life it takes a lot of unlearning," he added. "Which is exactly why i do what i do."

The "Sun Goes Down" singer's latest tweets were met with support from fans who questioned how the awards show could nominate Jack Harlow, a white artist, for Best Male Hip Hop Artist but not give a highly successful Black artist his props.

"Now when Lil Nas X career continues to pop and he lands bigger world stages they gone use that narrative that 'Black artists aren’t supporting Black awards/platforms' … when you literally could’ve just supported these artists before they blow up," culture and entertainment journalist Daric Cottingham tweeted.

"There’s no finish line. We know the reason, but I’m pointing out the shielded excuse they’ll use down the line. Because it never fails, it's the same old song on repeat from these platforms," he added

Awards aside, Lil Nas X is already working on his next album. In April, the musician told ET that "there's another bun in the oven," confirming that his next album is coming soon.

Fans got a taste of what's in store recently when the rapper released snippets of his new music when making a surprise return to social media after nearly four months of silence. "Why are people surprised i’ve been away for so long? have y’all really never heard of maternity leave?" he tweeted, referencing his "giving birth" after carrying his debut album, Montero, to full term.

He shared two screenshots of songs from his "almost finished" new album -- one is a feature with YoungBoy currently titled "Late to the Party," and the other is a single called "Down Souf Hoes" featuring ultimate material gorl Saucy Santana.

The artist also dropped two samples of his new music, a song titled "Lean on My Body" and an untitled track that he asked fans whom he should get to feature.

Lil Nas X will also kick off his first-ever-headlining tour, Long Live Montero, in September. The North American leg will include stops in Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Los Angeles and Miami, while the European leg will include dates in Berlin, London, Paris and Barcelona.

The 2022 BET Awards will air Sunday, June 26, on BET at 8 p.m. ET/ PT. The annual awards show will be hosted by Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress Taraji P. Henson for the second year in a row.

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