Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow in the “Industry Baby” music video. (YouTube/ Lil Nas X)
Lil Nas X has “sincerely apologised” to the LGBT+ community for not asking Jack Harlow to go gay for pay in his iconic “Industry Baby” music video.
The video, which dropped on Friday (23 July) following on from a skit the rapper created satirising his Nike “Satan shoe” saga, featured a remarkable number of naked men in a steamy queer dance scene in the prison’s shower room.
To the disappointment of many a viewer, Harlow, who is featured on the song and helps Lil Nas X break out of Montero State Prison in the video, remains clothed throughout.
kinda was wishin to see jack n ya gettin nasty together but it was fine liked it super gay as always u’re doin great sweetie pic.twitter.com/EXJSo8pVMw
— A (@AtousaStylinson) July 23, 2021
But following the video’s release, Harlow took to Twitter to explain: “Nas wrote the whole treatment for this video and I followed his lead every step of the way.
“If he had asked me to be in that shower scene I woulda been in that shower scene. I just let the mastermind cook. Honoured to be apart of it.”
Lil Nas X responded: “Wait!!! I didn’t know! Let’s shoot it again! Please Jack Harlow!!! Please.”
wait!!! i didn’t know! let’s shoot it again! please jack harlow!!! please https://t.co/CJH6v5c8dV
— nope 👶🏾 (@LilNasX) July 23, 2021
I’ll never forgive u for not including him in that scene😔
— 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓪🇯🇲 (@mariciaisabarb) July 23, 2021
As fans took to social media declaring they would “never forgive” the artist for not putting Harlow in the steamy shower scene, Lil Nas X issued a necessary apology to the LGBT+ community.
“To the LGBTQ+ community I sincerely apologise,” he tweeted.
“I have failed you. I am embarrassed. I am ashamed. And i will learn from my mistakes.”
put jack harlow in the shower scene or i’m not letting my granny out pic.twitter.com/V8RseeORLF
— 🌸niya🌸INDUSTRY BABY OUT NOW (@nasxmont) July 23, 2021
Although they struggled, with one “old queen” insisting they would have to “meditate and pray” on the “inexcusable” transgression, the LGBT+ community somehow found it in their hearts to forgive him.
You know, I’m an old queen, and I’ve learned to put up with a lot of stuff in this world, but this is just inexcusable. I’m gonna go meditate and pray on this a while, see if I can find it in my heart to forgive you. Damn. SMH
— SewNerd 🏳️🌈🌹 (@SewNerd) July 23, 2021
One wrote: “We all made mistakes and that’s OK. But this means you will not do this anymore to us, understood?”
“It’s okay darling,” said another. “Just release the uncensored version and we will forgive you.”
Lil Nas X joined forces with The Bail Project to an effort to end cash bail
Alongside the release of the iconic new single and video, Lil Nas X is using “Industry Baby” to raise money for The Bail Project, a “national nonprofit organisation on a mission to end cash bail, one of the key drivers of mass incarceration and structural racism in the US criminal legal system”.
on a serious note, i know the pain that incarceration brings to a family. and the disproportionate impact that cash bail has on the black community. that’s why i teamed up with @bailproject to create the Bail X Fund. let’s bring people home! 🤍 https://t.co/c6YOhNex7e
— nope 👶🏾 (@LilNasX) July 24, 2021
He said in a statement that music is his way to “fight for liberation” and is his “act of resistance”, but acknowledged that “true freedom requires real change in how the criminal justice system works”.
The Bail X Fund has raised more than $21,000 (£15,000) since it was launched.