Lil Nas X denies making “mockery of Christ” in new ‘J Christ’ single cover art

Lil Nas X has responded to those accusing him of making a “mockery of Christ” with the artwork for his upcoming song.

• READ MORE: Lil Nas X live at Glastonbury: undoubtedly a watershed moment for queer pop 

The apparent backlash towards the rapper and singer came after he shared news of a new single, set to arrive later this week.

Titled ‘J Christ’, the track follows his breakthrough debut album ‘Montero’ in 2021, and sees him lying outstretched on a cross for the single artwork. Announcing the new music yesterday (January 8), he shared the image with the caption “My new single is dedicated to the man who had the greatest comeback of all time!”

He also shared a picture on X/Twitter, featuring four photos of himself in priest robes with the words: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.”

MY NEW SINGLE IS DEDICATED TO THE MAN WHO HAD THE GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL TIME!

J CHRIST

JANUARY 12, 2024

00:00 EST

BE THERE! pic.twitter.com/JEX6sSTft5

— ✟ (@LilNasX) January 8, 2024

New song and visual next week! –

Official art dropping soon. –

🤍 [] pic.twitter.com/gIgdW8rAJR

— ✟ (@LilNasX) January 3, 2024

Now, it appears that Lil Nas X has sparked controversy with the religious aesthetic of the track, and has responded to those who have apparently accused him of making a “mockery of Christ”.

“The crazy thing is nowhere in the picture is a mockery of Jesus,” the rapper – real name Montero Lamar Hill – wrote on X/Twitter, an hour after the initial post.

“Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of shit,” he added. “Yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. Stfu.”

the crazy thing is nowhere in the picture is a mockery of jesus. Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of shit. yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. stfu

— ✟ (@LilNasX) January 8, 2024

‘J Christ’ will be released at midnight on 12 January, and is set to arrive with his first-ever self-directed video. Pre-order/pre-save the single here.

This isn’t the first time that the 24-year-old has been criticised for his use of religious imagery in his work. Back in 2021, the musician faced controversy after promoting that he would be selling 666 pairs of limited edition “Satan Shoes” – each containing a drop of real human blood.

The shoes were supported by the Church of Satan (via The Independent) and led to mixed options online. They were later recalled following a lawsuit from Nike, after being designed without the sportswear giant’s permission.

In other Lil Nas X news, the rapper recently responded to Dave Chapelle‘s joke about his 2021 track ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’, as featured on a Netflix special.