Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” video is an undeniable hit; It currently has over 250 million views on YouTube. Of course, it didn’t arrive without controversy, as more conservative-minded folks didn’t care for some elements on the clip (like Lil Nas X giving Satan a lap dance, for example). The rapper was a guest on the Desus & Mero Showtime series over the weekend, and while on the show, he discussed the backlash to the video.
When asked about the clip, Lil Nas X responded, “I really just wanted to corrupt the youth.” He then quickly broke his faux-serious tone by laughing and insisting he was joking. He went on to note that while he expected to draw the attention of the pundits over at Fox News, he didn’t think the outrage over the video would be as extreme as it was: “Even when I was planning the video, I was like, ‘Oh, this is definitely going to hit Fox News.’ I definitely didn’t expect the outrage as much as it was at all, especially, like, governors tweeting me. Like, you’re a governor. You don’t have anything better to do?”
He also spoke about his “Satan shoes,” saying that he didn’t intend for them to be a big deal: “You know, complete 100-percent honesty: Those sneakers were just supposed to be a thing for fans. I didn’t think it was going to spread outside of my fan base. I was wrong.”
Watch Lil Nas X on Desus & Mero above.