Lil Nas X Criticized for ‘Gays in Africa’ Tweet After Passage of Uganda’s New Anti-LGBTQ Law

Lil Nas X may be known for his no-holds-barred online personality, but even his fans are letting him know to pump the breaks following a recent tweet.

On Wednesday (March 22), Lil Nas tweeted out a simple message to his followers: “where do the gays be in africa,” he wrote. “i wanna come there.”

Fans quickly pointed out that the timing of the rapper’s tweet wasn’t great, especially considering a new law in Uganda punishing homosexuality.

The Ugandan parliament passed a sweeping anti-LGBTQ law on Wednesday, criminalizing “identifying as LGBTQ+, or the so-called promotion of gay identity,” according to a report from NPR. Performing sexual acts with a person of the same sex was already illegal in Uganda, but the new law would punish the mere act of identifying as queer with up to 20 years in prison, or the death penalty in cases of “aggravated homosexuality” — a broad definition that includes “repeat offenders,” having sex with an HIV-positive person and more.

A number of users responded to Lil Nas’ tweet pointing to the new Ugandan law. “The Uganda gays need love and solidarity today,” wrote singer-songwriter Simon Curtis, while another person wrote, “nah bro. stay home, be safe.” Others called out the “Industry Baby” rapper’s statement through quote tweets, with one fan asking that he “read the room,” while another pointed out his “terrible timing.”

The latest backlash comes shortly after Lil Nas X published an apology for another tweet he posted joking that he had transitioned. “apologies to the trans community i def handled that situation with anger instead of considering why it was not cool,” he wrote. “much love to you guys. sorry.”

Check out Lil Nas X’s tweet below:

where do the gays be in africa i wanna come there

— pussy (@LilNasX) March 22, 2023