Despitethe endless memes and savvy digital practices of Lil Nas X, the real-life of Montero Lamar Hill has remained relatively guarded since his meteoric rise to fame. In June, the “Old Town Road” singer shared lyrics to “C7sure” and the rainbo-featuring album artwork to come out to his followers during Pride Month of last year. “The honest truth is, I planned to die with the secret,” Nas says in a recent Guardian profile, which details the complexities that coming out brought to his life. “But that changed when I became Lil Nas X.”
Almost a year after the original announcement, Nas explained that he wants to represent the LGBT community, while also acknowledging how he’s dealt with his family’s response to the news. “My family knows now. But it’s not something that’s ever brought up or we speak about. We’re quiet on it. Nobody’s like, ‘Oh, you got a boyfriend,’” he explains. “I don’t want it to be something we never talk about. Because what about the kids in my family? I would like it to be a healthy medium between, ‘Who are you fucking?’ and just not saying anything.”
Later in the profile, the 20-year-old singer discusses that, after he came out, the Pete Buttigieg campaign asked him to be in a video, and why he turned down.
“I don’t know his political history or motives,” Nas said. The only thing I know… Wasn’t he from the Democratic party? All I know is he’s from the Democratic party and he’s gay. So it’s like… I don’t want to base my support off, ‘Oh, you’re gay, I’m going to support you.’ Yeah, you’re gay. But I don’t know everything you’re planning when you’re running the entire country. But, yeah. That was the reason I said no.”
