After the list of BET nominations was announced on Wednesday morning (June 1), Lil Nas X took to Twitter to vent his frustrations at the awards show for snubbing him for a second year — and on the first day of Pride Month, might we add.
In a series of since-deleted tweets, the rapper called out the network for leaving him out of the nominations despite the success of his debut album “Montero,” which hailed the hit singles “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” and “Industry Baby” featuring Jack Harlow. “Montero,” was also nominated for five Grammy Awards this year.
“Thank you BET awards. an outstanding zero nominations again,” he wrote, adding an ironic “black excellence!”
@LilNasX via Twitter
Nas also quote tweeted a response to a critic who had questioned what he had put out that should deem him worthy of a nomination, “idk maybe 3 of the biggest songs of last year & a critically acclaimed album,” he said, “i feel like that should’ve helped me a bit.”
Others claimed that his last few records didn’t fit in with the awards show, claiming his sound was far from hip-hop — to which Nas said, “they have a pop category.” To conclude the since-deleted public conversation, Nas said it wasn’t about the nominations, “i just feel like black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world and even when we make it to the top mfs try to pretend we are invisible.”
BET reps did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
Nas was nominated for the BET Awards’ best new artist in 2020 — but lost. Among the top artists nominated for this year’s BET Awards are Doja Cat (who leads with six nominations), Drake, Ari Lennox, Silk Sonic, and Kendrick Lamar.