Lil Nas X Expected Backlash From "Montero" Music Video

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20221.8K Views

Lil Nas X admits that he knew he was going to ruffle a few feathers with the release of the music video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)."

The release of Lil Nas X's "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" didn't receive the same warm welcome as "Old Town Road" but that was largely due to the music video. The rising pop star faced backlash among conservative pundits and right-wing groups, among others, for giving the devil a lapdance and then, releasing the infamous Satan shoes.

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

Lil Nas X sat down with Desus & Mero where they discussed the backlash he received from the video for "Montero" where he was being accused of being a negative influence on the youth. "I really just wanted to corrupt the youth -- I'm kidding," he told Desus & Mero who reminded him that there were far worse images on television in the 90s.

"Even when I was planning the video, I was like, 'Oh, this is definitely going to hit Fox News,'" Lil Nas X said. "I definitely didn't expect the outrage as much as it was at all, especially like, governors tweeting me.... It's like, you don't have anything better to do?"

As for the controversial sneakers, Lil Nas X explained that he didn't realize that it would cause a massive storm on social media. He said that it was only meant for his fans who he believed would be the only people interested in purchasing the exclusive sneaker.

“I don’t think anyone actually returned them,” Lil Nas X said of Nike's cease-and-desist letter. “I can’t even get any more for my siblings and stuff, and so that sucks with the cancellation and what not, but I got my own pair so that’s good.”

Check out the full interview below.

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.