Lil Nas X took an unconventional approach to announce his debut album - by staging a full pregnancy photoshoot.
The 22-year-old rapper silenced the music world after sharing images of his intimate shoot in which he cradled his fake baby bump.
But soon after sharing the images with the world, the 'Old Town Road' hitmaker was hit with waves of mean comments from critics.
In response, Lil Nas X showcased his witty humor by addressing the "negative energy" he was hit with, saying that it's "not good for the baby," per Insider.
After the backlash, the musician - real name Montero Lamar Hill - tweeted: "Let me get offline, all of this negative energy is not good for the baby."
Announcing his debut album on social media, the rapper took to Twitter to write: "SURPRISE! I can't believe I'm finally announcing this. My little bundle of joy MONTERO is due September 17, 2021."
Speaking with People, Nas explained: "I was like, 'Oh my God, this is amazing,' so I immediately called my stylist."
He went on: "She was like, 'Wow, this all comes together. Your album. Your baby.' I was like, 'Yeah, this is my baby, huh?' As a joke, she was like, 'Yeah, you should do a pregnancy shoot.'
"I was like, 'You know what? That's actually brilliant.' So now we have this entire thing coming out, and it's going to be amazing."
However, the shoot attracted some negative attention, with one person tweeting: "I'm with freedom of whatever, but at this point Lil Nas is f***ing with the minds of kids.
"What are your thoughts, how do I explain this s*** to my son?"
To that, one person responded: "Boys have been putting basketballs under their shirt to look pregnant since 1891. Your son will be alright."
Another hater added: "I really tired of Lil Nas .. his ugly a** to [sic] much," to which the musician himself responded: "You really on here calling a young mother to be ugly?"
As well as Megan Thee Stallion, the album also features guest spots from Miley Cyrus, Elton John, and Doja Cat, among others.
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