☄Lil Nas X Shares His Coming Out Story in Empowering Letter to His Younger Self

Lil Nas X Shares His Coming Out Story in Empowering Letter to His Younger Self
Lil Nas X reflected on how he tried to keep his sexuality a "secret" when he was 14 years old, but with the release of his latest song, "MONTERO," he wants to "open doors" for other queer people.
Watch: Lil Nas X on Becoming a Fashion Icon With Christian Cowan's Help

At 21 years old, Lil Nas X is doing something his 14-year-old self never thought possible.

https://tea.instructure.com/eportfolios/227/Home/20211080P
https://shf.instructure.com/eportfolios/161/Home/____Be_Alive_Just_Like_You_
https://nmetc.instructure.com/eportfolios/20811/Home/___Be_Alive_Just_Like_You__Hd20211080P
https://collaw.instructure.com/eportfolios/14150?view=preview
https://omi.instructure.com/eportfolios/2485/Home/_2021__TW

The "Old Town Road" superstar never imagined he would come out publicly, he explained on Friday, March 26. He wrote a powerful letter to his younger self, reflecting on why he wanted to release his latest song, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)," which is about a relationship he had with a man in 2020.

Nas addressed the Instagram note to "14 year old montero," referring to his birth name, Montero Lamar Hill.

"i wrote a song with our name in it. it's about a guy i met last summer," he wrote. "i know we promised to never come out publicly, i know we promised to never be ‘that' type of gay person, i know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist." 

Billboard Music Awards, Lil Nas X 
PHOTOS
Lil Nas X Buys His First Home
The rapper admitted it was "scary" to be so open with the world, but knows there is a greater purpose behind it. Nas continued, "you see this is very scary for me, people will be angry, they will say i'm pushing an agenda. but the truth is, i am."

Lil Nas X, MONTERO, Call Me By Your Name
Vevo
He added, "the agenda to make people stay the f--k out of other people's lives and stop dictating who they should be. sending you love from the future." He signed the moving note from his stage name "lnx" for a full-circle moment. 

The lush music video for "MONTERO" opens with a narration introducing a mystical world that's similar to the Garden of Eden, which is mentioned in the lyrics. Viewers hear, "In life, we hide the parts of ourselves we don't want the world to see. We lock them away. We tell them no. We banish them. But here, we don't. Welcome to Montero." 

The seductive song depicts his relationship with a red devil figure, and ends with Nas taking the horns off his head and placing them on his own. The singer sprouts black wings, and his eyes shine with light.

He's been working on new music throughout the past year. In September, Lil Nas X told E!'s Zanna Roberts Rassi that the coronavirus pandemic has actually helped him get inspired to create more freely.

by Taboola
Why Jessica Simpson Has No Interest Reliving "Triggers" in Britney Spears Documentary - E! Online
E! News
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's Son Connor Unveils Surprising New Career Venture - E! Online
E! News
Hailey and Justin Bieber's "Very Affectionate" Trip to Turks and Caicos Will Give Anyone Vacation Envy - E! Online
E! News
Jessica Simpson Recalls Feeling "Saddened Beyond Belief" After Nick Lachey Moved on With Vanessa - E! Online
E! News
Kourtney Kardashian Wears Naughty Shirt on Date With Travis Barker: See Their Cutest Photos - E! Online
E! News
Lil Nas X, MONTERO, Call Me By Your Name
Vevo
"Quarantine has probably been the best thing that could have happened to me to where I am in my career right now. It's given me so much time to think through while creating music," he said, explaining, "I don't really have to hear so many outside voices while I'm creating, because I'm in the comfort of my home."

In the past, he's gotten candid about the challenges he faced growing up because of his sexual orientation.

"You know, I would just, like, you know, pray, pray, and pray... that it was, like, a phase," he told CBS in 2019.

When host Gayle King asked if he thinks his coming out will help others that are struggling, Nas said, "I think it's gonna always help, you know... We still have a long way to go."

He took home two Grammy Awards in 2020 for "Old Town Road (Remix)" featuring Billy Ray Cyrus.

TRENDING STORIES

1
Kendall Jenner Reacts After Mom Kris Shares "Pregnancy Announcement"

2
Why the Sarah Everard Murder Case Has Rattled Britain So Much

3
Prince Albert Calls Out Meghan and Harry's Explosive Tell-All

4
Sharon Osbourne Is Leaving The Talk After Co-Host Controversy

5
Zooey Deschanel Proves She’s Totally Unrecognizable Sans Bangs
Grey's Anatomy and the TV Deaths We'll Never Get Over - E! Online
Gia Giudice Reacts to Will Smith Making Her Real Housewives "Sad Song" a TikTok Sensation - E! Online
Charlie Puth Shuts Down Body Shamers After Getting Photographed Shirtless - E! Online
Zac Efron Gets Support From Girlfriend Vanessa Valladares During Rare Sighting - E! Online
A Photographer’s View Of Hong Kong
CNN with Brand Hong Kong
|
Sponsored
Trail Runners’ Delight In This Urban Metropolis
CNN with Brand Hong Kong
|
Sponsored
Minimizing Carbon Footprint In The Hospitality Sector
CNN with Brand Hong Kong
|
Sponsored
Parts of Obamacare GOP will keep, change or repeal
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
Super Bowl Ads
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
Hawaii's Kilauea has pushed lava up through fissures, destroying homes and forcing evacuations.
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
Meek Mill freed from prison in Pennsylvania
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
The Year In Review
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
Manhattan Shooting
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
A lifetime of service and accomplishments
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
Ellen DeGeneres Shares Update on Portia de Rossi's Health After Hospitalization - E! Online
Surfer Katherine Diaz Dies At Age 22 by Lightning - E! Online
Ana de Armas Seemingly Addresses Ben Affleck Reconciliation Rumors After Necklace Photo - E! Online
Khloe Kardashian Basically Confirmed Which of Kourtney's Exes She Called "Toxic" - E! Online
Jessica Alba Reveals the Truth About Why She Stepped Back From Acting at the “Top” of Her Career - E! Online
Kim Kardashian's Marriage Issues Have Her Family Worried on KUWTK - E! Online
This New Photo of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana Will Give You Chills - E! Online
Beloved Children’s Book Author Beverly Cleary Dead at 104 - E! Online
Kylie Jenner's Latest Wild Look Has Us Doing a Double Take - E! Online
Miley Cyrus Jokes Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner Named Their Baby Girl After Hannah Montana - E! Online
Surfer Katherine Diaz Dead at 22 After Being Struck by Lightning - E! Online
Sonja Morgan's Daughter Quincy Gives a Rare Look Into Her Luxe Life - E! Online
Scenes from New York attack
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
The Supreme Court nominee is also the dad who loves Westerns, the outdoorsman who enjoys the Zen of fly fishing
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
PHOTOS: Winter storm dumps a foot or more of snow on the Northeast
Associated Press
|
Sponsored
Kendall Jenner Addresses Pregnancy Speculation After Kris Jenner's Accidental "Announcement" - E! Online
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Fans Are Convinced His New Tattoo Is a Tribute to Her - E! Online
Jennifer Garner Explains Why She's "So Far" From Remarrying 6 Years After Ben Affleck Divorce - E! Online
See Joe Giudice's Spring Break Reunion With His Daughters in the Bahamas - E! Online
Kelly Clarkson Reveals She Can't "Imagine" Getting Married Again After Divorcing Brandon Blackstock - E! Online
Inside Kevin Federline's Private Family World - E! Online
Bobby Brown Jr.'s Cause of Death Revealed - E! Online
Emily Ratajkowski Breastfeeds Her "Beautiful Boy" Sylvester in New Photo - E! Online
Whoa, Ponyboy: The Cast of The Outsiders Then and Now Will Blow Your Mind - E! Online
Rebel Wilson Injured in London Biking Accident Involving Unleashed Dog - E! Online
Bethenny Frankel Is Engaged to Paul Bernon After Jason Hoppy Divorce - E! Online
Noah Centineo Shows Off Jaw-Dropping Superhero Transformation - E! Online
Kourtney Kardashian Just Took a Major Step in Her Relationship With Travis Barker - E! Online
Britney Spears Officially Requests Jodi Montgomery as Her Permanent Conservator - E! Online
Halle Berry Reacts to “Disgusting” Radio Host’s Comments Comparing Her Skin Tone to Toast - E! Online
We Solemnly Swear This Daniel Radcliffe Look-Alike Will Make You Do a Double Take - E! Online
How Meeting Amal Clooney Made George Clooney Realize His Life Had Been "Incredibly Empty" - E! Online
Prince Albert Calls Out Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Explosive Tell-All - E! Online
Alexis Ohanian Addresses "Troubling" David Dobrik Allegations Amid Dispo App Investment - E! Online
Sommer Ray Accuses Machine Gun Kelly of Cheating on Her With Megan Fox - E! Online
Prince Harry Secures New Job With Mental Health Firm - E! Online
It Sucks That Superstore Had to End, But At Least the Series Finale Was Perfect - E! Online
Photos from Looking Back on Sarah Jessica Parker's Most Iconic Fashion Moments
Frankie Jonas Addresses Sobriety and Mental Health in His Most Personal TikTok Yet - E! Online
Succession's Nicholas Braun Hilariously Shoots His Shot With Kim Kardashian—Again - E! Online
Vanessa Bryant Reveals New Tattoo Tribute to Daughter Gianna - E! Online
Orlando Bloom Reacts After That Interview About His Daily Routine Goes Viral - E! Online
Kim Kardashian Hilariously Recalls Getting Mistaken for Kendall Jenner's Mom - E! Online
How OWN Host Dr. Laura Berman and Her Family Is Doing After Son's Fatal Overdose - E! Online
Chris Pine Sets Pulses Racing During Shirtless Los Angeles Outing - E! Online
Prepare to Be Shook by Christa Allen's 13 Going on 30 Revelation - E! Online
Check Out the Most Surprising Celeb Transformations of the Week - E! Online
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Daughter Bernice King Reacts to Justin Bieber's Justice Controversy - E! Online
Queen Elizabeth II's Granddaughter Zara Tindall Gives Birth to Baby on Bathroom Floor - E! Online
Brooklyn Beckham Trolls Mom Victoria in Hilarious Spice Girls Face Swap - E! Online
Sharon Osbourne Is Leaving The Talk After Controversy Surrounding Her Behavior - E! Online
Grand Canyon Basketball Star Oscar Frayer Dead at 23 Just Days After Playing in NCAA Tournament - E! Online
Andy Cohen Teases "Fascinating" New RHOBH