Lil Nas X has issued a swift mea culpa for offending the trans community for a joke that some didn’t find funny.
The Grammy, MTV and NAACP Image Award-winning hip-hop star apologized after deleting a social media post that was accused of mocking gender-confirming surgery.
On Tuesday, Lil Nas X — whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill — shared a photo of a woman who resembled him, with the caption: “The surgery was a success.”
After backlash erupted, the “Old Town Road” rapper didn’t immediately apologize, but clapped back in a now-deleted tweet that read: “I’m literally just saying she looks like me, y’all cannot be f—in serious.”
According to Buzzfeed News, Lil Nas X further engaged with commenters via snark and admitted anger. When one follower asked why he had to mention surgery, Nas responded, “Because [the woman photographed] has titties? Are you dense?”
He later issued an official apology for the offense, writing: “Apologies to the trans community. I def handled that situation with anger instead of considering why it was not cool. Much love to you guys. Sorry.”
While some didn’t think Nas had anything to be sorry for to begin with, others felt the apology wasn’t enough. A Black trans artist by the name of Edge Slayer wrote, “Baby, this apology ain’t it! You need to apologize to the trans community in material ways that include money, sharing your platform to raise awareness ... This is fake as hell!”
Amid making Billboard chart history in 2019 with the genre-defying Billy Ray Cyrus collaboration, Lil Nas X came out of the closet and ultimately became a rarely seen symbol for the LGBTQ+ community in pop culture.
Upon announcing his 2021 album, “Montero,” he asked fans to donate to a specific list of charities including Transinclusive Group, an organization led by Black trans people that provides resources for trans and gender-nonconforming people of color.
———
