Lil Nas X Responds To Homophobic Dave Chappelle Joke: ‘Y’all Acting Like Children Of Divorce’

Not content with only taking cheap shots at trans and disabled people, Dave Chappelle targeted Lil Nas X in his just-released Netflix special The Dreamer.

READ MORE: How Queerness Came To Define The Modern Music World

In one section of the hour-long feature, the formerly talented comedian joked about a scenario where a child was asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. The child in Chappelle’s “joke” doesn’t want to answer the question because he’s scared “the other kids” will laugh at him, to which he’s told, “Who cares if they laugh? Your dream is yours. Own your dreams so they can come true. Say it loud and proud. What do you want to be when you grow up... Lil Nas X?”

Chappelle goes on to deliver the “punchline” that a young Lil Nas X “stood up in front of the whole class [and said,] ‘I want to be the gayest n**** that ever lived! I want to do a music video, slide down a stripper pole, all the way to the depths of Hell, and suck the Devil’s dick at ten o’clock on BET, while all the kids are awake and can see me.’ Shockingly, that was the only dream that worked out.”

The bit references the music video for Lil Nas X’s single Montero (Call Me By Your Name), which was released in March of 2021, and went on to win three MTV Video Music Awards (Video Of The Year, Best Direction and Best Visual Effects), as well as the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video, and the American Music Award for Favourite Music Video.

Lil Nas X responded to Chappelle’s joke in a tweet, quipping that critics have “gotta let Call Me By Your Name go”. He added: “Me and the Devil broke up three years ago. Y’all acting like children of divorce.”

yall gotta let call me by your name go, me and the devil broke up 3 years ago. yall acting like children of divorce https://t.co/HVOfhTVaky

— ✟ (@LilNasX) January 3, 2024

There are two jokes about Lil Nas X in The Dreamer, with the second being about the first time Chappelle met the rapper. In a separate monologue, Chappelle said, “I know a dreamer when I see one, and I’ve met many powerful dreamers in my life, none more powerful than a man who calls himself Lil Nas X. I met this n**** at a party. I had no idea who he was. But the minute he walked into that party, I knew I was in his dream.

“Everyone at that party was a dreamer, everyone was famous but when that n**** walked in, he was dressed like CP3O. He was shining. And everyone was like ‘Oh my god, there he is, that’s Lil Nas X.’ I didn’t know who he was and for some reason, out of fall the dreamers there, he walked right up to me and he said ‘I tried to get you in my video.’ I didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about. I said ‘What video?’ and he was just looking at like ‘You know what video,’ and walked away.”

Dave Chappelle speaks on meeting Lil Nas X in his new Netflix special pic.twitter.com/dbZl46HjE1

— 𝙈𝘼𝙅𝙊𝙍 (@lilnasxmajor) December 31, 2023

Meanwhile, Lil Nas X is currently working on the follow-up to his 2021 debut album, also titled Montero. The record is set to be released sometime in 2024, with teasers regularly being shared on his social media.

Lil Nas X toured Australia at the start of last year. In a glowing review for The Music, Thomas Hills wrote of his Sydney (Eora) show: “[Lil Nas X’s] live performance is transcendent because it doesn't rely on any one thing. Not his vocals, not his charisma, not his showmanship, not his dancers, not his visuals. Everything is interwoven so thoughtfully and choreographed so effectively that it lifted the collective spirit of all present.”