Though legions of viewers took to social media to express their concern over the content of Lil Nas X‘s ‘Call Me By Your Name’ performance at the 2021 BET Awards (which made headlines for featuring a same-sex smooch), Rap media mogul-turned-reality TV star Benzino set the Internet ablaze when he not only suggested the showing wasn’t safe for kids to watch but even went as far as to brand it as ‘satanic’ and ‘irresponsible.’
“That sh*t BET pulled was lame as fuck. It was too uncomfortable, too irresponsible, too forced and too irrelevant to the awards,” he said. “Homie ain’t even hot like that for music anymore anyway. It’s a shame what all this is coming too. I wish I has the backing to bring the Source Awards back.”
Earning an unceremonious slamming for his now-deleted comments (deemed homophobic by many), word got back to LNX who re-tweeted a story about the 55-year-old’s criticism and said:
“I’m sorry but the thought of n*ggas sitting their kids down in the living room and telling them gay people exist is so hilarious to me,” Lil Nas X wrote in the tweet.
As the backlash against Benzino continued days after the BET Awards, he took to ‘Black News Tonight’ to elaborate with resident anchor Marc Lamont Hill about his true feelings on the controversy.
Look inside to see what he said.
BENZINO ON BEING CALLED A HOMOPHOBE:
“I want to make it clear; there’s not a homophobic bone in my body. It almost feels silly that I have to defend myself because when you think about it, it’s common that gay people are a part of our life and society. I respect that. I have many gay friends, family members, and have never had a problem with the LGBTQ community.”
BENZINO ON WHY HE CALLED LIL NAS X’S PERFORMANCE ‘IRRESPONSIBLE.’
“It was more or less coming from a production standpoint because award shows have to be responsible for all ages,” he said before later continuing, “There’s a time and a place for everything…the BET Awards is meant to be a family show.“
When challenged on if he felt the night’s other performers (who routinely made drug, sex, or violence references) were offensive too, Zino agreed – but still maintained that LNX’s performance was uniquely offensive because he has a 5-year-old son.
“In my world, [homosexuality] is new to me; I wasn’t always understandable about the gay community,” he said. “I had to learn and it had to organically set in me that these are people just like me. I feel like sometimes things can be forced and they don’t have to be.”
Ultimately, the ‘Love & Hip Hop’ star maintained he was not trying to be offensive but also made clear he is not backtracking his initial statement despite the backlash.
“I stand by what I said,” he mentioned before stating later in the interview, “I don’t have anything against anybody being gay…[and] I think a lot of the LGBT community are great people but some try to bully their lifestyle on people. I don’t think that’s fair.”
See the interview in full above.
[main photo sources: Getty Images/AP Images]
Your thoughts?
![Chart Check [Billboard 200]: 'Tortured Poets' Makes Historic Return to #1 as Taylor Swift Wrapped Her Record-Breaking 'Eras Tour' with $2B in Ticket Sales](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Taylor-Swift-thatgrapejuice-2024-ttpd-tortured-poets-billboard-200-no-1-eras-tour-2-billion-464x260.jpg "Chart Check [Billboard 200]: 'Tortured Poets' Makes Historic Return to #1 as Taylor Swift Wrapped Her Record-Breaking 'Eras Tour' with $2B in Ticket Sales.")
![Preview: CBS Unleashes 'An Evening with Dua Lipa' TV Special Sneak Peek [Watch]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/dua-lipa-december-primetime-cbs-evening-special-elton-john-2024-thatgrapejuice-1-464x260.jpg "Preview: CBS Unleashes 'An Evening with Dua Lipa' TV Special Sneak Peek [Watch].")
![TV Trailer: ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ [Season 9 / Episode 11]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/rhop-karen-huger-tgj-464x260.jpg "TV Trailer: ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ [Season 9 / Episode 11].")
See… white people don’t say s h I t about this coz they are open minded💅🏿 Love is love ❤️
You sound as ignorant as he does.
Oops! Truth hurts 💅🏿
Glad you know it
Thats what you are saying but people who belive in God knows that homosex… is a Sin you should not hate the people but the sin. So everbody can have their opinion why people have to be angry if someone say i dont support the LGBT Community dont understand it. Its not hate its just the way people see things why gays try to force everbody to think like them dont understand it.It diffrent if someone says i want to kill gays or somthing like that but the thing is a sin like cheating,lying,stealing etc.
Who the f u c is benzino?
Like I said before…I agree.
It’s how he’s saying it that’s making him sound remedial as f*ck. And now as I’m thinking about it, I don’t really agree with him anymore. Someone needs to get him better training in public speaking and formulating words. Noticing when to cut off sentences is major key in speaking with the public because you eventually say more than needed. For example, I was with him until he said “bully their lifestyle upon people.” What exactly does that mean and how does one bully their lifestyle onto people, rather gay, straight, black or brown, when they are living in their truth? What LNx did was no different than what Britney and Christina did with Madonna and now years later, it’s looked at as an iconic moment in VMA history and being replicated on Halloween every year. Did you complain then Benzino? I’m sure you didn’t…probably jerked off to your VHS on rewind. Was what LNx did on stage necessary? No. I feel the performance and his continued antics play into gay stereotypes and how gay men are always looked at as being nothing but sexually aggressive BUT at the same time he didn’t walk into the audience and twerk in front of a straight n***as face either, so what’s the problem? Your child needs to see these type of moments between gay people of all kinds NOW while young so they don’t grow up ignorant to it and treating the next person that’s “different” unjustly. He just doesn’t want his son to grow up walking out the house with a pocket book and heels one day, that’s all. Next time he needs to just say that….😒
“I feel the performance and his continued antics play into gay stereotypes and how gay men are always looked at as being nothing but sexually aggressive” –
You either agree with him or you don’t. Those stereotypes aren’t on Nas X, you just said – he’s living his truth. To not perform the performance how HE felt necessary is surely to play into the antics of those who would rather see but not see, know but not know, ie just like Benzino.
It’s not necessary because he has yet to prove he can deliver a good performance or hit without showcasing antics surrounding his personal life of being sexually attracted to a man. His holiday single cover showcased him licking a duplicate version of himself. Ok cute…whatever. Then right after that, he premieres call me by your name and tries to push this demonic agenda of him twerking on the devil…his reasoning u ask? Because he felt he was shunned by the church as a child and wanted to give voice to those who are gay and effected by the religious system…ok cute, whatever. And then after that he releases a game of his b*** cheeks twerking which flopped and had everyone scratching their heads on the point of the release in the first place which then led to mediocre performances @ SNL and BET all the while trying to create shock value and talking with a defensive yet self-exalting tone every time someone disagrees with any antic he pulls next. You like Nas, clearly miss the point that the masses has been trying to say for the longest…show us your talent! Which is why I initially understood where Benzino was coming from. The kiss did feel forced and very disconnected. We know you are gay now, that’s great! Celebrate it, enjoy it and incorporate it as needed BUT what else can you do besides twerking on the devil and giving dollar tree style versions of Madonna-esque performances? And although you may not want to accept it, but those stereotypes I mentioned fall onto LNx just as they would fall onto the next black rapper speaking about guns and drugs hun, it’s a stigma that never gets broken because most rappers continuously talk about it and glorify it like it’s the only way of life…even AFTER they got money! As celebs and public figures, you are a reflection of what you represent. In LNx’s case, he is representing 2 groups whose voices are/have often been muted in the world…black and gay people. That should be represented in a way where not only are you making your people proud, but where you are also awakening the masses on the reality pertaining to each group. Yes, you can talk about s**. Not a problem. But like I continuously say, what else? Because the latter is already expected and there still leaves so much more ground to be covered. A good reference to that is Janet Jackson’s Velvet Rope album. She pissed folks off with her “Get Lonely” video for exposing her bra in her video BUT the gems she delivered after and even before that, of which proved she could break stereotypes, could not be debated AND on top of that, she had already showcased her ability to dance, sing, and write. I have yet to see that from LNx.
So yes, live in your truth at its fullest capacity, but continue the storyline because at this point, this novel is becoming boring to me and many others for LNx…
*yawns* 🥱
You’re giving it way too much thought. Lil Nas is a superstar whether you feel he deserves it or not. If you’re not between the ages of 16 and 25, you’re not even in his target audience and are wasting your time debating what young people should and shouldn’t like.
I’m not surprised you’re 🥱 after delivering that essay. I’m still nonthewiser as to you’re disposition on the matter, however you seem to be aligning yourself more and more with Benzino than I think you realise. Janet Jackson had her doubters when she was starting her career too. Lil’ Nas X is just starting out, and has a point to prove, and people like Benzino only further validate that that point is far from yet to be acknowledged. So I say he should keep kissing men on stage just as much as Cardi B and Megan the Stallion and the likes can keep scissoring each other on stage nd rappers can keep rapping out orgies etc without it being deemed demonic until people understand that we’re all equal, all made in the same image, all made of the same stardust, all have a right to be happy, free from judgement.
@ijs Ok, so yeah…and you’re not giving it enough thought clearly which is also most likely a reflection of your life as well…when you don’t expect much, you never get much my love. Now I never said he was undeserving in my comment did I? Who am I to say what someone else does or does not deserve? I don’t know how hard he has worked to get there. I just said he’s boring and expected at this point and lacks any major talent worth mentioning really…& that sentiment still stands btw 😉 A target audience does not take away from that…if you have it, then you just have IT. Site Lady Gaga for reference who had a “target” audience but still was able to gain respect from her industry peers and age groups before her. She debuted with similar shenanigans as LNx from kissing girls, to random nudity, to over the top videos and performances which had a lot of people side eyeing and giving criticism toward her BUT she was still versatile in her talent and it really couldn’t be denied although all of that did tire out early as well. I’m not a major fan of hers but even still I give respect where it’s due. The girl is descent! You really can’t say the same in this scenario for LNx unfortunately.
But carry on in your opinion for that is your right but keep in mind that delusion is one helluva drug though…YIKES…😳
(side note:) if you’re looking for my take on a more interesting openly gay artist to praise then check Isaac Dunbar. Similar to LNx but talented asf and pretty much creative directs all his own content and videos @ only 19! The kid is fresh.
@louisa aww. how cute….you sound like the chick from mean girls who wanted everyone to hold hands and bake cakes. Thank you for observing my essay love…I wrote it just for you 😌. Now let me write you another one…of course there is no surprise that I may lean toward Benzino’s opinion more. Isnt that where my support was initially attached to? IF you read carefully, my only disagreement truly came in regards to his response to gay people “seemingly” shoving their lifestyle down people’s throats but beside that, one with sense can truly dissect and see he genuinely would like to see real talent grace the stage again without the useless antics which is what the Source Awards brought to hip-hop back in the day. LNx already proved his point with his sexuality, being out, and being “himself”, etc. with his music prior up to present day. Why further yourself down the rabbit hole and make it a tiring matter to where now you have people who still don’t understand such a community feeling as though you are “forcing” your lifestyle upon them? And THATS where it becomes unnecessary. But listen…different strokes for different folks. There are some people who appreciate the basic things in life and some people who appreciate the finer things…I’m just one who prefers the latter. I think LNx has a right to live in his truth completely…hide it for no one…but at the same time, as I’ve already said, move the narrative along. That’s whats necessary! I want more! And his fans deserve more. I’m sure Benzinos son saw the CMBYN video already and like you said and like I said, he needs to see these type of moments now to rid him of possible ignorance later. Now from there, show another side to the LGBTQ community other than what is already expected of us which is being hyper-sexual all the time. You can still keep it gay and referenced to your sexuality but switch up and provide us something new to say “DAMN! He did it again! What a talent!” Like do gay people not cry?, do we not rejoice?, do we not get angry? I would love to see more of that from him. Good examples to follow…David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Meshell Ndegeocello, Elton John, Grace Jones, Madonna, Adam Lambert, Gaga, Jason Mraz, Janelle Monae, Frank Ocean, Mykli Blanco, Harry Styles, Sam Smith, Troye Sivan, Isaac Dunbar, Rina Sawayama, etc…etc…ugh, the list can go on for days! These are all artist who not only can run circles around LNx talent wise but who also have already pushed the envelope of shock value in respect to their sexuality while also displaying different facets and layers to being LGBTQ in a millennial world. But I will say, you are right in respect to Janet having doubters when she started out, that’s the story for every artist though. LNx is still new to the game and maybe will improve in time just like Dua Lipa did in regards to her dancing and stage presence people mocked her for but man oh man…let’s hope it’s soon before it’s too late! Because it’s not looking good up to this point tbh and like I keep saying…I’m already bored 🥱
I have no idea who you’re referring to,but if all she wants is recognition of equality for all, she sounds like she has the right idea so I’m going to gracefully take that and decline to read on any further, I’m bored now too 🥱
Im sorry but that s*** was inappropriate
@louisa and you have been bored. Which is why you replied to me and got ya head cut off. I’ve never been the 1 or 2. Try it again with someone that lacks basic knowledge, education, and taste.
He’s contradicting himself – if he stands by what he said, why has he deleted the tweet? If he agrees the other performances were offensive, he should equally be criticizing them too. And thirdly, saying understanding of homosexuality had to be taught to him (despite acknowledging it being common in society) is homophobic. Does tolerance of another race have to be taught, and if so, what would you call those people who have no understanding of that race?
He’s full of s***. I’d have had more respect if he’d just said what he’d said without backtracking. He didn’t just call it irresponsible, he went so far as to brand it satanic, of the devil, biblical proportions. And then he has the cheek to use the old “I have many gay friends and family” line. Was he up in arms labelling Cardi B and Megan’s performance satanic when they were crotch to crotch gitrating against one another?
Benzino is a nobody. His opinion only matters to him. He has no endorsement deals, acting gigs, hot music, or anything of any substance going on so he can make ignorant statements and stand by them. Nobody cares.
Yes boo, stand in your truth. Do not bend, walkback or break for these MF. We need to stop fearing public scruntiny.
If we can celebrate alternative lifestyles, we can also celebrate indifferences. Twitter simply need to pull up their big girl/boy panties.