The cold weather may be a shock to some, but even this weekend’s winter storm could not slow down the foolery. With the bomb cyclone rolling into the Midwest, I find myself wondering about the weather in San Diego… and I promptly close my travel app.
Despite the cold snap, we have much to be happy about this week: Michaela Jae Rodriguez celebrated her 33rd birthday. Miss Major, Stonewall activist and survivor, will receive her flowers from BET as their Pioneer of the Year. And, shameless plug: “Griselda” is the title of the newly released track by La Lucy and produced by me. We worked on this project back when COVID first hit. The song was teased during an interview but never released. Many have requested the song in its entirety, and that enthusiasm enabled its release—available wherever you stream music. Please support independent artists.
Okay so boom, J Christ visuals dropped, and as usual, here come the split opinions and not-so-hot takes. What gags me the most is the calling out from within the community. Many social media posts are filled with hate for the project without any engagement with the art or artist. I’m not calling Lil Nas X out for his marketing approaches. I’m looking at the history.
If we look at those who came before the 24-year-old multi-genre artist, we see predictable patterns of pushback and silence. Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” stirred folks, and yet she’s iconic for going against societal norms. Yeezus (Kanye) West, Da Baby, Kendrick Lamar, and Tupac all received backlash from Christians and silence from skinfolk for their emulations of Jesus. Lady Gaga? Her Judas was banned.
Arguments across social media often regard Lil Nas’s strategy as a “gay thing,” and it’s not. It’s an art thing by an artist who so happens to be Black and gay, and folks cannot take it. In their eyes, Black gays must stay as far away from Christian beliefs as possible. Folks received “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, who even scored a Grammy. The minute Lil Nas X is consistent with his message, serving visuals, and lyrics over a booty-shaking beat, all becomes lost in translation.
Man, are you all fools tired yet? You can always opt out of the artistry that doesn’t resonate with you. Art is supposed to move people, which will inevitably provoke conflicting opinions. As the consumer, you can choose to look elsewhere.
If you haven’t taken the chance, review our nephew’s body of work. Connect the dots and maybe you’ll see how your feelings are misplaced– or not. Either way, Shut Up Fools!
