Last year Lil Nas X celebrated the last day of Pride Month by coming out on Twitter.

During a recent conversation with Zane Lowe, the 21-year-old Internet sensation revealed his inspiration for being transparent about his sexuality while dominating Hip Hop and Country charts.

“I think artists like Frank in general and, like, Tyler and whatever, they made it easier for me to be where I am, comfortably,” he explained while praising one of Ocean’s 2017 singles. “‘Provider’ was a very special song to me during this relationship I was in. So yeah, go Frank, he’s amazing.”

The two-time Grammy-winner realized that it was important to take up space as a homosexual Black man who is dominating two genres that have a history of displaying homophobia.

“I was just getting signs, ‘OK. It’s time we do this thing.’ Because it’s like I’m already moving forward and I’m becoming more free with everything I do, so let’s take this to the next level and do this,” he continued.

“Because I mean, it was either going to be that or what? Pretend this for the rest of my entire life? … And also being one of those people that was like, ‘OK, I want to make room for you now.’ So everybody who’s coming behind me, ‘OK. This is going to be cool. It’s going to work out fine.’ Yeah.”

Lil Nas X also noted his growing platform and influence for inspiring him to live his truth. “But that’s another reason why I knew that I had to do it. Because the day before I was like, ‘Damn, should I really do this? Is this what…’ And I’m like, ‘No, this is definitely what I should do.’ Especially given my platform, where I am, the communities that I stand in between. It’s like little s— like this shouldn’t be a problem.”