Lil Nas X has insisted it’s “not [his] job” to be a good role model.
Lil Nas X for GQ Style / Luke Gilford
The 22-year-old rapper – whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill – shot to fame in 2019 when he released his hit single, ‘Old Town Road’, and has said that whilst he originally felt “a sense of responsibility” to be a role model for his fans, he now “doesn’t care”.
When asked about being a good role model, he said: "At first I felt a sense of responsibility. But now I kind of just don't care. It's not my job. Of course I want to spread good ideals, but I'm not nobody's parents. At the end of the day, I'm just doing me, and hoping everybody else is following the lead, and doing themselves.
"Part of my plan is to make sure people know I'm going to do whatever the f*** I want, when I want to, and if you're mad at it, I'm going to laugh in your face."
Nas X recently released his latest single, 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)', and accompanied it with a note written to his 14-year-old self, in which he reflected on coming out as gay two years ago.
And now, the musician says he initially feared he would have to be “straight passing” if he wanted to continue his career.
Speaking to GQ Style magazine, he explained: “[I thought that I wouldn’t be] allowed to be really sensual or anything ... like, I'm gay but I'm not 'gay' ... like, I'm gay but I have to make sure you feel like I can be straight passing too."
Nas X also reflected on his Christian upbringing, and admitted he “never wanted to be gay” when he was growing up because he thought it was “just a test” from God.
He added: "That was one of the main reasons why I never wanted to be gay; he says. 'I even thought, "If I have these feelings, it's just a test. A temporary test. It's going to go away. God is just tempting me.'”
See the full feature in the GQ Style SS21 issue available on newsstands Thursday (13.05.21), and online at https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/lil-nas-x-interview-2021
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