Lil Nas X Doing All The LGBTQ Activism For Release Of New Hippety Hop Album

Nice time!

Of the many roles Yr Dok Zoom plays at Wonkette — writer, comments moderator, occasional book reviewer, Smithersesque lickspittle and yes-man — one of my favorites is that of "clueless old white guy," which is why, when Yr Editrix assigned me a nice-time story with only this preview link, I had no idea who that handsome pregnant fellow in the picture was (largely because I didn't notice the text literally identifying him as music star person Lil Nas X).

Now, since what passes for my musical tastes stopped expanding shortly after Talking Heads released their final album, Naked,   I know virtually nothing about Lil Nas X other than that he had a huge hit with "Old Town Road" and a reputation as an immensely likable person (I recall seeing that video of him being delighted by kids singing along at an elementary school).

So because I am mostly ignorant of current popular music, I had to do a little bit of catching up for this story, which meant finding out this morning that Lil Nas came out as gay in 2019 and that he's been prepping for the release of his album Montero by framing the album release as a birth, and also putting up billboards trolling homophobes and Trumpers . I also learned that the performer's given name is Montero Lamar Hill, hence the album title. (It is not about Mitsubishi SUVs, I don't think.)

These billboards for Lil Nas X’s album 😭😭 https: //t.co/HtNJeFiI1s

— XXL Magazine (@XXL Magazine) 1631826365.0 

I may be out of touch with music, but I know smart media when I see it.

So yes, as part of the campaign leading up to yesterday's rollout of the new album, Lil Nas a also set up the Montero "Baby Registry" website, where the title of each track on the album is linked to one of 16 LGBTQ, BIPOC, and HIV/healthcare charities. As POZ  explains ,

With the exception of The Bail Project, a national group fighting to end cash bail, and the Cade Foundation, which supports families experiencing infertility, the nonprofits listed in the registry are part of Gilead Sciences' COMPASS Initiative , which combats HIV/AIDS in the South.

Just reading the groups' descriptions on the "baby registry" gladdens a progressive's heart. Here are just a few, with linkies:

 Bros in Convo 
Providing comprehensive, multicultural sexual health and wellness education and peer support that empowers, promotes, and protects the healthy well-being of young men of color.

   Compassionate Atlanta 
A grassroots community-building nonprofit that seeks to raise awareness about the benefits of compassionate action throughout the Greater Atlanta area by teaching and encouraging people of every persuasion and walk of life to channel their concern for the well-being of others into tangible action.

 Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference 
Represents a cross section of progressive African American faith leaders and their congregations to build the capacity of faith leaders' understanding of and engagement with the social determinants of health uniquely impacting African American trans and queer communities and African American cis-gendered women in the Southern region of the United States (in partnership with Historically Black Institutions of Higher Education).

 What's in the Mirror 
What's in the Mirror is a non-profit organization and social movement that uses art and advocacy to end the stigma of mental health.

And that's just a few of the 16 groups listed in the registry. It's pretty damn wonderful, and now we have written two consecutive Wonket stories about rappers who have partnered with nonprofits doing exceptional work in the South. This may also be a useful thing to keep in mind the next time some white southern Republican does something horrible — remember they're just the loud ones who are temporarily running things, and that we all need to do what we can to change that state of affairs. It's a hell of a lot more useful than making Twitter jokes about "letting them secede." Screw that: Let 'em be defeated once and for all.

Now go enjoy the rest of your weekend, you filthy fuckaducks, and if you can afford it, click on some of those "donate" buttons at Lil Nas X's baby registry. Heck, I might even listen to his music, even if it is more recent than 1995.

THIS IS NOW YOUR OPEN THREAD!

[ POZ / The Mary Sue / Welcome Montero Baby Registry ]

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