On Saturday (Sept. 9), the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) played host to Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, a documentary that chronicled the artist’s first-ever world tour. As Variety reported, the event was hit with a short delay due to a bomb threat that the outlet’s sources said was aimed at the 24-year-old for being a Black queer artist. Fortunately, the screening eventually went off without a hitch after security did a sweep and confirmed that said threat wasn’t credible.
“We were made aware by the Toronto Police Service of an investigation in the vicinity of the red carpet for the Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero screening,” said a TIFF spokesperson. “Our standard security measures remained in place during this time and the screening commenced with a slight delay. To our knowledge, this was a general threat and not directed at the film or the artist.”
The Toronto Police Service also shared a statement with additional information on Sunday (Sept. 10). “At the TIFF, a passerby uttered a threat towards private security,” authorities revealed. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Toronto Police and the private security swept the scene and cleared within 20 minutes. The threat was general and did not target any one person.”
Lil Nas X took to the premiere’s red carpet with his father and his nephews, all of whom were dressed in black at Toronto‘s Roy Thomson Hall. Long Live Montero‘s directors, Carlos Lopez Estrada and Zac Manuel, executive producers, and many more from the movie’s production were also present.
Back in 2021, Lil Nas X liberated his debut LP, MONTERO, a 15-song body of work with additional features from Jack Harlow, Doja Cat, Elton John, Megan Thee Stallion, and Miley Cyrus. His aforementioned tour — dubbed the “Love Live Montero Tour” — kicked off the following year and touched down in North America, Europe, Australia, and South America during its run.