Lil Nas X Is Unapologetic About His BET Awards Kiss With Dancer

Lil Nas X has no time for people hating on his already-iconic 2021 BET Awards performance.

The 22-year-old took the stage at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater Sunday night in a gold Egyptian-inspired pharaoh look to perform his hit song “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).” The performance, influenced by Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time,” made waves on social media. It also likely raised goosebumps for more than a few viewers when, at the end of it, the singer made out with one of his male backup dancers.

Afterward, Lil Nas X asked fans on Twitter if they liked the performance. In response to a clip from the show, one person remarked: “DONT USE AFRICAN CULTURE FOR SHITS LIKE THIS!!!!!!! RESPECT OUR ANCESTORS.”

Not missing a beat, Lil Nas X fired back: “y’all really like to pretend homosexuality didn’t exist in african culture.”

Despite the pushback, the performance was also widely lauded ― even Sean “Diddy” Combs remarked that the singer “did that.”