#LilNasXComingOut
Lil Nas X came out as gay during Pride Month at peak Old Town Road success.
Origin & Impact
On the last day of Pride Month 2019, while “Old Town Road” was dominating charts, Lil Nas X came out as gay through tweets and references in his EP artwork. The announcement made him the first artist to come out while having a #1 song, and particularly significant given hip-hop’s historical homophobia.
The hashtag overwhelmingly supported his announcement, though some country and rap fans expressed disappointment. Lil Nas X’s casual, humorous approach to coming out—joking he thought he made it obvious—represented a new generation’s comfort with LGBTQ+ identity. His success proved queer Black artists could thrive in genres that had excluded them.
Related Hashtags
#LilNasX #Pride #Representation #OldTownRoad