Lil Nas X has responded to the backlash he received from some religious groups recently after releasing his new single, ‘J Christ.’ The release of the song, along with a self-directed video featuring biblical stories and a crucifixion scene, has provoked debate and protest. The song is Lil Nas X’s first new single for two years and marks his return to music. In a recent appearance on the ‘On Purpose’ podcast, he revealed his response to the backlash, saying that he found it ‘depressing.’ He also said it has been emotional to see the song being received negatively by the majority, understanding why, and having to see it through.
The rapper clarified that he did not intend to mock Christians or make a mockery of Christ. Instead, it was meant to show his return to music. He also expressed concern about how his religious family members would feel about it, and whether they would be offended by the video. The Church of Satan has approved the song but deemed the visuals fantastic. Lil Nas X apologised for a TikTok video that saw him eating communion bread and drinking wine from a chalice while dressed as Jesus.
The American rapper has previously joked about enjoying sparking chaos and controlling it. Still, he revealed that he found the scale of the backlash from ‘J Christ’ ‘depressing’, adding that “You can become super angry with yourself.” Lil Nas X’s new single was released on January 12, and he also recently dropped a reflective new track called ‘Where Do We Go Now?’ The song was part of his upcoming HBO documentary, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero.
The recent criticism received by Lil Nas X has shone a light on the intersection between religion and pop culture. The artist is still working to clarify the meaning behind the imagery in the video and the song, emphasizing that it was not meant to be offensive, rather a portrayal of his return to music, and ultimately make it widely known that “J Christ” was an artistic expression and not an indictment of Christ
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