The story behind Lil Nas X's collaboration with NBA Youngboy, entitled 'Late To Da Party,' is an unfortunately common but no less interesting one. From the first few seconds of the track, you can immediately tell the direction of Lil Nas X's vitriol. For those who have not yet heard it, the opening hook is just 'f*ck BET' four times in a row. Here's the story of the first single from Lil Nas X following his debut LP Montero.
The song itself harkens back to a classic trap sound, a bit of a departure from the Montero sound. 'Late To Da Party' still features Lil Nas X's hooky singing, but with pop-trap rapping as well. NBA Youngboy's versatility and style matches similarly to Lil Nas X on this track, making for a very cohesive sound in this collaboration. Quick and to the point at almost exactly three minutes, the story and rollout behind the single is as much or more important than the song itself.
Despite massive success in 2021 with the album Montero and its hit singles like 'Industry Baby' and the title track, Lil Nas X received no nominations for the 2022 BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards. Considered a snub by many (particularly by Lil Nas X himself), he took to Twitter to vent his frustration and anger. 'How can I get acknowledged by the most acclaimed award show in the world and then not even just 1 nomination from my own people?' Lil Nas X's righteousness and directness is a refreshing and on-brand move from the popular and controversial artist.
Here are some of the winners of this year's BET Awards, taking the place over Lil Nas X:
Silk Sonic
Kendrick Lamar
Latto
Jazmine Sullivan
The Weeknd
Megan Thee Stallion
You can check out this song and all other Lil Nas X songs on all streaming services.