Lil Nas X Recreates Jesus on the Cross in New Single Art, Dedicates Song to Christ: ‘The Man Who Had the Greatest Comeback of All Time’

Ethan Shanfeld
·2 min read
2
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Almost three years after he rode a stripper pole into the depths of hell and onto the Devil’s lap, Lil Nas X is back to stir up more controversy — or perhaps to see the light.

The chart-topping pop star returns on Jan. 12, with a new song titled “J Christ.” Nas imitates Jesus Christ nailed to the cross on the single artwork and, in a press release, says, “My new single is dedicated to the man who had the greatest comeback of all time!” The song, which will seemingly kick off Nas’ sophomore album, will be accompanied by a music video.

More from Variety

On Nov. 29, Nas teased an acoustic song on X/Twitter, writing, “Y’all mind if I enter my Christian era?” The clip saw Nas dancing on a deserted street and wearing a shirt that reads “If God doesn’t exist then who’s laughing at u.” The musical snippet featured lyrics including, “I call on angels / I’m trying hard to face my pain, yeah / Give me hope when I feel / Give me hope when I feel less.” It’s unclear if that song is “J Christ” or whether or not it will appear on his next album.

While Lil Nas X has become, in certain religious spheres, the poster child of what’s wrong with the secular left — he once summoned the Devil (and a Nike lawsuit) after promoting his limited edition “Satan Shoes” — he indicated on X that his religious turn isn’t just for publicity.

“Y’all see everything I do as a gimmick. When in reality I’m just an artist expressing myself in different ways,” the artist wrote on X. “Whether I’m a cowboy, gay, satanic, or now christian y’all find a problem! Y’all don’t police nobody else art like mine. Y’all hate me because I’m fun cute and petite.”

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.