Kevin Hart Slammed for Remarks Made to Lil Nas X Amid Car Crash Recovery

Kevin Hart is being heavily criticized for recent comments he made regarding rapper Lil Nas X‘s sexual orientation, interrupting the 20-year-old as he was explaining why he decided to come out as gay. Hart and Lil Nas X were appearing on an episode of HBO’s The Shop: Uninterrupted when Lil Nas X was asked about his decision to come out, which he had done on Twitter during Pride Month in June.

“And with all that early success, you felt it was important to make an announcement recently?” marketing executive Paul Rivera asked the rapper, with Hart interjecting, “He said he was gay! So what?”

Lil Nas X explained that he was not “forced” to come out but decided to do so because “growing up [he had been taught] to hate that s—.”

“Hate what?” Hart interrupted. “Hate what?”

“Homosexuality, gay people,” Lil Nas X responded. Still not getting it, Hart asked, “Why?” “Come on, now,” Lil Nas X said.

“Why you growing up to hate it?” Hart continued. “If you’re really from the hood, you know,” Lil Nas X replied.

The rapper added that he chose to come out after he had already topped the charts with “Old Town Road” so that people would know he was not trying to gain anything from revealing his sexuality.

“If you’re doing this while you’re at the top, you know it’s for real and it’s showing it doesn’t really matter,” he said.

Later in the episode, Hart told Lil Nas X that he “in no way, shape, or form should” should have to “defend” himself as gay by saying, “But guys, this is what I am,” The Hollywood Reporter shares.

People on Twitter quickly began slamming Hart for his initial comments.

Hart has created controversy in the past due to remarks he made that were deemed homophobic. The resurfacing of his homophobic tweets and jokes had caused the comedian to step down as the host of this year’s Oscars.

Photo Credit: Getty / Don Arnold