Lil Nas X deleted his Grammy celebration tweet after being told ‘this is Kobe Bryant’s day’
Lil Nas X was one of many Grammy performers to pay tribute to the late Kobe Bryant. (Getty)
Lil Nas X deleted a tweet celebrating his first-ever Grammy win after upset fans accused him of disrespecting Kobe Bryant.
Lil Nas X was a double-winner at the Grammy Awards 2020, which took place just hours after Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash nearby in Los Angeles.
Tributes to the sporting giant came throughout the night, with Nas setting a “Bryant 24” Lakers jersey on a chair during his performance of “Old Town Road”.
The rapper had earlier tweeted his disbelief at Bryant’s untimely passing, and returned to the social network hours later to announce that he had become “Grammy Award winning artist Lil Nas X”.
rip 🙁 pic.twitter.com/9wL6OdSSlv
— nope (@LilNasX) January 26, 2020
Amid heightened emotions, the celebratory tweet attracted a raft of negative comments.
“No one cares bro kobe just passed away wtf is wrong with u,” wrote one follower.
“I’m sorry but f*** your Grammy this is Kobe Bryant’s day,” added another.
Nas deleted his tweet, replacing it with: “Didn’t mean any disrespect to kobe with that announcement. the news made me sad too! sending love to those grieving.”
Fans quickly jumped to his defence, arguing that his Grammy win was entirely separate from the tragedy.
lil nas x winning a GRAMMY is exciting and separate from kobe’s death. he is allowed to be happy.
— ?? (@yikesopinion) January 27, 2020
Y’all act like just bc Lil Nas X is a public figure he can only post grieving tweets out of respect for Kobe but y’all can go from “RIP Kobe” to “bombaclaat ?” in a matter of minutes. The hypocrisy is astounding.
— ㅤ? (@infatuationism) January 26, 2020
Lil Nas X tweeted in celebration of his Grammy win and some people are replying “who cares Kobe just died”
Yea it’s an extremely sad day for many, but let’s not try to take away from others’ celebration and happiness in the process— Benjamin Frew (@KZ_Frew) January 26, 2020
Y’all made Lil Nas X delete his tweets about him winning his first Grammy because of Kobe’s unfortunate death (rest in peace) despite Lil Nas X not knowing or ever meeting Kobe? So a young black gay man won a major award and y’all bullied him over it. Wow.
— Tommy Kenneth the 4th (@ThomasKenny98) January 26, 2020
Bryant was honoured throughout Sunday’s Grammy Awards, which took place at the Staples Centre.
The venue is the home of the LA Lakers, and is where Bryant played for his entire 20-year basketball career.
The ceremony opened with a minute of silence, with the Recording Academy’s interim CEO and board chair Harvey Mason Jr telling attendees: “We are in his house.”
Lizzo opened the televised portion of the show by dedicating her song “Cuz I Love You” to Bryant, declaring: “Tonight is for you Kobe.”
Host Alicia Keys also memorialised the star, singing an a cappella version of “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” with Boyz II Men.
In her opening speech, she acknowledged the mixed emotions running through the arena.
“Here we are together on music’s biggest night, celebrating our artists that do it best, but, to be honest with you we’re all feeling crazy sadness right now, because earlier today Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero.
“And we’re literally standing here, heartbroken, in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”
