Lil Nas X Says He Is Pushing an Agenda: 'It's Called Liberation'

You all were right: Lil Nas X does have an agenda.

On Friday award-winning artist Lil Nas X made a few things clear about the artist that he is and plans to be in the future. Fresh off the release of his new song and music video "Sun Goes Down," where he gets introspective and talks about some of the lowest moments of his life, and ahead of his Saturday Night Live debut, he picked up an honor at the Native Son Awards. But while picking up his award, he decided to set a few things straight.

"Thank you Native Son for this amazing honor," Nas X said in a video message for the virtual event. He was one of six to pick up a Native Son Honoree Award. "I wrote a message for you guys and here it is: Your commitment to amplifying and celebrating Black queer is vital to our community and I'm humbled to be among this year's honorees. When I came out two years ago, it was one of the scariest moments of my life. I was afraid because I knew the world was watching and all I ever saw for boys like me was judgment and ridicule. But, it was because the world was watching that I knew I had to stand in my truth.

"Far too many of our youth are struggling to find acceptance, " he continued. "We are taught to hate ourselves for who we are, and we are punished for living openly and proudly. I made the decision to be myself and open doors for the rest of my life. Some people say I'm pushing an agenda and I am: it's called liberation. There's no roadmap when you're forced to break a barrier, and I hope one day it's no longer groundbreaking for queer artists to find mainstream success or win major awards. Until that day comes, there is work to do and I will continue to do my part."

The singer was one of six honorees that included Steven Canals, the co-creator and co-executive producer of Pose; Alphonso David, the president of the Human Rights Campaign; Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, a global grant-making philanthropy whose mission is to disrepute inequality; the Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Capehart; and Bill Carson, chairman of Otsuka Pharmaceuticals.

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