R&B Star Steve Lacy Calls Coming Out 'Silly,' Recalls Being Forced Out

R&B artist Steve Lacy found himself mired in controversy after he was forced out of the closet by the press in 2017. Now, five years later he’s speaking out about the experience.

The Compton-born musician first gained popularity as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band The Internet, but when he released his first solo project, “Steve Lacy’s Demo,” he was faced with a new kind of fame that brought with it complications.

While chatting with these new-found fans on Tumblr, Lacy was asked if he would ever date a guy, to which he replied, “Sure, why not.” This simple statement caused a stir and suddenly publications were saying he had come out as bisexual.

“But I didn’t really come out,” Lacy explained in a new interview with Variety. “I didn’t try to — it just kinda happened. I don’t care to announce who I’m into sexually. I think it’s silly. I never felt like I needed to come out.”

The 25-year-old caused more controversy and a fierce back-lash when he responded to a follow-up question by making it clear he wasn’t interested in dating other Black men. He was quickly labeled “anti-Black” by bloggers and fans, but at the time Lacy wrote, “I’m just not attracted to Black boys. … I still love them and want them to do well in life, we just won’t date.”

Despite these past controversies, Lacy has gone on to find huge success and has even incorporated his sexuality into his music. Last year he released his second studio album, Gemini Rights, which went on to win him a Grammy as well as hitting the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart and his single “Bad Habit” from the album reached the Billboard Hot 100 after going viral on TikTok.

Since being unceremoniously pushed out of the closet, the chart-topping R&B star now embraces his sexuality in his music, even singing about his ex-boyfriend's “deep throat” and “heavy dick,” but he’s still reluctant to put a label on it and says he’s not worried about representing the queer community.

“I never care to speak for anyone else, because I think all of our experiences are so different from each other,” he said candidly. “I guess I have a selfish perspective of myself in the world, and I’m just expressing myself. I’m not necessarily doing things for other people to feel good about themselves.”