The BET Award nominations for 2022 were revealed today and fans had plenty of thoughts about who was selected for the upcoming show. Noticeably missing from the nominees was Lil Nas X, who had two Billboard chart-topping hits last year with “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby,” which featured Jack Harlow. He also had another top-10 hit with “That’s What I Want.”
Jack Harlow got a BET award nom and Lil Nas X didn’t? During pride month? During Black Music History month? Is that what I’m seeing?
— Homo Militant (@Tendurag) June 1, 2022
Fans noticed that Harlow, who received his first No. 1 single with “Industry Baby,” received a nomination for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, and they immediately called out BET. “Jack Harlow got a BET award nom and Lil Nas X didn’t? During pride month? During Black Music History month? Is that what I’m seeing?,” said Twitter user @Tendurag.
Lil Nas X responded to the nominations in the most Lil Nas X way possible. “Thank you bet awards,” he said in a now-deleted tweet. “An outstanding zero nominations again. black excellence!”
He later clarified that it wasn’t the lack of nominations that peeved him, but rather the lack of representation of Black and queer artists.
“I just feel like black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world,” he said in another deleted tweet, “and even when we make it to the top mfs try to pretend we are invisible.”
The 2022 BET Awards will air Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. CST on BET.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music Artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
