After Dave Chappelle made fun of Lil Nas X‘s “Montero” video in his new comedy special, the “Old Town Road” singer said the comedian needs to get over it.
Chappelle, 50, had a bit about Lil Nas X, 24, in The Dreamer, his new comedy special, which premiered on Netflix on Sunday, December 31. Chappelle spoke about how Nas X became “the gayest n—a that ever lived” and that his “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” music video was about him “suck[ing] the devil’s d—k at 10 o’clock on BET while all the kids are awake and can see.”
When Lil Nas X (real name Montero Lamar Hill) finally responded to the bit, he said that Chappelle was late to the “hate on Montero” party, especially since the song and video came out in March 2021. “Y’all gotta let ‘Call Me By Your Name’ go,” Lil Nas X wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Jan. 3. “Me and the devil broke up 3 years ago. Y’all are acting like children of divorce.”
The music video in question depicts Nas X’s struggles with his homosexuality before embracing his truth. The visual saw Nas X lying in the Garden of Eden, seduced by a humanoid serpent (also played by Nas X). This same-sex kiss results in him standing trial in a coliseum full of versions of himself, who execute him for his crime. Nas X then rides a stripper pole down to Hell, where he gives Satan a lap dance before ultimately snapping the Devil’s neck to take on the role of king of the damned.
According to Chappelle, Lil Nas X attempted to get Chappelle to star in the “Montero” video. In The Dreamer, Chappelle said that he was unaware of the “Industry Baby” rapper’s identity when they first crossed paths at a party.
“I had no idea who he was,” admitted Chappelle. “The minute he walked in that party, I knew I was in his dream. Everybody in the party was another dreamer. Everyone was famous, but when that n—a walked in, he was dressed like C-3PO. He was shining! “Everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, there he is! It’s Lil Nas X, ah!’ I didn’t know who he was, and for some reason, out of all those dreamers, he walked right up to me and he said, ‘I tried to get you in my video.'”
Chappelle said he didn’t know “what the f—k he was talking about” and asked which video Nas X meant. “And he just looked at me, [and said], “You know what video,’ and walked away. And I watched him walk away. I said, ‘Man, this n—a is having a very powerful dream.'”
Lil Nas X has moved on from the old dream and kicked off his new era – one where he has adopted Christian iconography. “New song and visual next week!” he posted on X on Wednesday, January 3, sharing a photo of himself making the sign of the Cross. “Official art dropping soon,” he added.
In addition to mocking Nas X, The Dreamer (Chappelle’s seventh comedy special for Netflix) saw him continue to joke about the transgender community and was meant with mixed reviews by the critics.
