Lil Nas X immediately sparked backlash on Monday when he unveiled the title and cover for his upcoming song, "J Christ," set for release on Friday.
via Complex:
The 24-year-old gave a subtle tease to his new musical era during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards where he brought a Bible and wore church-inspired garb. But it’s the new artwork for his upcoming single “J Christ” that’s getting some backlash on social media.
In an X post following the announcement of “J Christ,” Lil Nas X wrote that “nowhere in the picture is a mockery of Jesus.”
“Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world,” he added. “I’m not making fun of shit. “Yall [sic] just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were born. stfu.”
The 2-time Grammy Award-winner is playing up the Christian-oriented content for his upcoming album, also responding to pushback late last year.
While some still wondered if he was trolling, Lil Nas X also posted a snippet to one of his songs, although it’s uncertain whether it’ll make the final tracklist of his next LP.
“Father, stretch my hands / The lonely road seems to last the longest,” he sings in the clip below. “Help me with my plans / Everything seems to go nowhere / Oh, free me from worry and wanting pity / Free me from all this envy in me / I don’t want these feelings / I don’t want these feelings / 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.”
I find it quite hilarious that Christianity is derivative of paganism, and here they want to go gatekeeping religious imagery as if artists should be exempt from using said imagery in their artwork.
I just want to hear the song so that way we can see if the song will be just as memorable as the imagery people are losing their minds over.
Comments