Lil Nas X Doesn’t ‘Need Nobody’ (Not Even BET) to Keep Making $$$ on ‘Late to Da Party’

A BBL handout from McDonalds, a meet-and-greet with a homophobic dog, and a “free c***” giveaway co-signed by Grindr were just some of the trolling incentives Lil Nas X offered fans if they presaved his new song, “Late to Da Party.” Well, it’s too late to win a “free fat a**,” because on Thursday night, the rapper officially dropped the single, which features Youngboy Never Broke Again.

After his chantlike “F*** BET” song opener — aimed at the network’s awards show, which failed to give him any nominations this year — the rapper opens the pop-trap earworm with a reference to his back-to-back hits, making clear he doesn’t need anyone’s help (not even BET’s) to keep making racks of cash. “And I don’t need nobody, I just need these CCs on my body/Everything I do, b****, right or wrong, gon’ make a profit,” he raps. “Read about it/I don’t even got to sing about it.”

And in the song’s catchy chorus, Lil Nas X sings, “Don’t try me, you better save that s*** for somebody else.”

Youngboy NBA then jumps in with an equally fiery verse. “She want me to buy her some CC/She wanna eat and I hope that she don’t bite, nah,” Youngboy raps. “She on her knees, and she worshipin’, right now/With her friend, I’m flirtin’, now she wan’ fight now.”

A few days ago, Nas promoted the single with a set of photos of him — dressed in full, royal-blue Louis Vuitton — sitting on a toilet, pants down, and counting cash. Turns out the photos were a reference to a song lyric, as he raps in his third verse: “Face sittin’ pretty, you b****** wouldn’t get it, uh/I’m at Met Gala in Versace in the city/Farted on these niggas (Pfft), oops, I think I shitted.”

LATE TO DA PARTY w/ YOUNGBOY

THIS FRIDAY! 💸🍾 pic.twitter.com/ry4Iw0pUUf

— obamas cousin (@LilNasX) June 22, 2022

Lil Nas X made headlines as he teased the track earlier this month, posting a video of himself lip-syncing the “F*** BET” chant featured at the start of the song. The awards show — which featured an internet-breaking performance of “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby” at last year’s festivities — snubbed him in 2022.

“This not over no bet award this is about the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community,” the rapper wrote on Twitter. “Y’all can sit and pretend all u want but imma risk it all for us.” The cable network later issued a response, assuring their “love” for the musician, who was nominated for best new artist at the awards show in 2020. “Unfortunately, this year, he was not nominated by BET’s Voting Academy,” the network wrote. “No one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy. At BET, we are passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community.”

The new single is the first taste of what’s to come for Lil Nas X, who released his album Montero last year. The LP featured chart-topping songs like “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby,” with Jack Harlow, along with collaborations with Miley Cyrus, Elton John, and Megan Thee Stallion, and made Rolling Stone’s recent list of the greatest hip-hop albums ever.