Lil Nas X ‘Apologises’ For J Christ Music Video

Lil Nas X posted a video on social media explaining his latest single, ‘J Christ’ after the music video received backlash from Christians and conservatives who criticised him for “mocking” Christianity. 

The American rapper and singer can be seen dressing up as the angel and the devil in his video, which was released on Friday.  

The J Christ music video features religious artwork, imagery, the singer wearing a gold choker that reads “SEXY”, and opens with a series of celebrity lookalikes that include Taylor Swift, Barack Obama, Kanye West and Ed Sheeran, climbing the stairway to heaven.

Lil Nas X also is seen depicting himself as the queer reincarnation of Jesus Christ in the music video and showing Jesus Christ on the crucifix.

‘Apology’

The ‘Call Me By Your Name’ singer posted a four-and-a-half-minute video on Instagram, providing insights into his decision-making process behind the “J Christ” music video and promotional clips shared on social media.

“Hello, everybody. I wanted to not necessarily apologise, but I wanted to explain where my head is at and where it’s been for like the last week.”

“First of all, when I did the artwork, I knew there would be some upset people or whatnot. Simply because, you know, religion is a very sensitive topic for a lot of people. But I didn’t mean to like mock. This wasn’t like a ‘fuck you’ to you people, ‘fuck you’ to the Christians. You know, it wasn’t that. It was literally me saying, ‘Oh I’m back, I’m back like Jesus.’ That was like the whole thing,” he explained. 

Lil Nas X added that he was not the first artist to dress up as Jesus and wouldn’t be the last. He acknowledged his previous controversies over music videos, including Call Me By Your Name stating that anything that he does in relation to religion could be seen as a “mockery” but it “wasn’t the case” for the J Christ music video. 

‘Not Against Christian Fans’

wanted to get something off of my chest… pic.twitter.com/9d8abScSk8

— ✟ (@LilNasX) January 15, 2024

“I don’t agree with all of Christianity’s rules or whatnot. I know not everybody follows Christianity by the book 100%. Or, you know, the world would be a lot crazier. But I do apologize for that. This is not like [me trying] to get everybody on my good side or whatnot. This is more so to clear my own head about my own decisions”, he said. 

Lil Nas X admitted, “I know like, you know, I messed up really bad this time,” adding that the backlash from his single was taking a “mental toll” on him. 

“I know this is not gonna be like an immediate shift like everybody moves forward or whatnot, but I do want my Christian fans to know that I am not against you. I was put on this earth to bring people closer together and promote love. That’s who I am. I’m not like some evil demon guy trying to destroy everybody’s values and stuff like that. That’s not me”, he said. 

Church of Satan Endorses Lil Nas X’s Music Video

While some Christian rappers and groups have criticised the J Christ music video, the Church of Satan is embracing it. 

Magister David Harris told TMZ that he supported the singer’s music video, describing the imagery as “fantastic.”

Magister Harris compared Lil Nas X’s lyrics about going viral, to the Church of Satan’s principle of “lesser magic”, which is a skill to influence people to comply with your desires. 

As a Magister, Harris holds a role similar to that of a cardinal within the Church of Satan and clarified that their doctrine prioritised authenticity, personal success, and embracing life to its fullest. Harris added that contrary to popular belief, the Church of Satan does not react with hostility to portrayals of the Devil.