"If Eve ain't in your garden,

you know you can call me when you want"

Lil Nas X looks amazing.

In a tight suit covered in diamonds, he plays the role of Adam in paradise who is seduced by the snake with the help of the third eye, also played by himself.

We reach the

music video's crescendo

when the Atlantic rapper slides down a strip bar straight down to hell to give the devil himself a lap dance, wearing thigh-high patent leather boots with stiletto heels.

When he then takes the devil's place on the throne, he has symbolically overthrown the public order and condemning view of homosexuality that has prevented so many from daring to come out.

Montero (Call me by your name)

is an uncompromising gaypride song about being yourself and literally giving a damn about fiddling with your sexual identity.

The music video is loaded to the brim with kitschy camp aesthetics and the lyrics are sexually overt, in a lovely way.

The song was written by Lil Nas X for his younger self when he was still in the closet (his real first name is Montero) and he has said that he wants the song to make others dare to be themselves.

The title is of course a nod to the LGBTQ film Call me by your name, based on the novel of the same name.

An erotic coming of age drama in which love must be kept secret.

The religious and conservative

right in the United States has not unexpectedly gone to the roof, perhaps mainly because of the music video that is loaded with biblical symbols.

Both pastors and Republican politicians have called the video blasphemous and harmful to children.

The thoughts go to Madonna's brave masterpiece Like a prayer, whose music video was clearly anti - racist, mixed sex and religion and made the pope himself boycott.

Many of us have a picture

of Sweden as a country at the forefront when it comes to equality and LGBTQ issues, not least in comparison with, for example, the United States.

Therefore, it is interesting that right now, at least in hip hop, it seems to be just the opposite.

Silvana Imam has done a lot for the LGBTQ perspective in Swedish hip hop, but in 2021 it is rather the old-fashioned and hard male role of gangsta rap that dominates, at least among male rappers.

Of course there are songs about love,

feeling bad or feeling remorse in Swedish gangsta rap.

But the straight macho ideal where girls are objectified and gay is an insult still runs like a common thread through the music.

As in the new song SSM LS by ZE and Einar: "When the ninth comes you will be gay, man".

Dree Low's new album is currently number one on the Swedish album list.

But Montero (Call me by your name) climbs the singles list here too.

So for the Swedish male rappers who, like Lil Nas X, want to give a middle finger to anyone who still sees homosexuality as something to be ashamed of, there seems to be a void to fill.