Music artist Lil Nas X is addressing the backlash he’s received since posting his blasphemous videos part of his “Christian era.”
With over 9.5 million views on YouTube, Nas’ video for ‘J Christ’ has swamped the internet with the vulgar-laden depictions of himself as Jesus.
In the ‘J Christ’ video, Nas takes viewers through many different settings, including the gateway to heaven, the bowels of hell, a fight between the heavenly and demonic realms, the crucifixion and a modern-day depiction of Noah’s ark during the flood.
Each of these scenes takes God’s goodness in a way that is perverted and mocked. Nas wears suggestive women’s clothing in many of the scenes, and openly curses throughout the video. In the scene of Nas and Satan playing basketball, the devil can be seen wearing Lil Nas’ shoes from a couple of years ago that Nas promoted with Nike. At the height of the video, Nas shows himself as Jesus on the cross with a group of people cheering around. And the video concludes with the earth flooding in our modern-day and time, with Nas on an ark with 2 Corinthians 5:17 appearing on the end screen.
Nas had also posted a video of himself indulging in the elements of communion, with a vulgar caption.
Since posting these videos and the promo for ‘J Christ’ that are supposedly part of Nas’ “Christian era,” Nas has spoken out about the backlash he’s received from the Christian community about these videos.
“I wanted to not necessarily apologize, but I wanted to explain like where my head’s at,” Nas said in a video posted on X. “First of all, when I did the artwork, I knew there would be some like, upset people and whatnot, simply because you know religion’s a very sensitive topic for a lot of people. But I also didn’t mean to like, mock.”
Nas said that it was his intention to show that he is “back like Jesus.”
“I’m not the first person to dress up as Jesus, I’m not the first rapper, I’m not the first artist, and I won’t be the last,” Nas said.
He also addressed the communion video, saying he thought that video would help “lighten the mood.”
“I didn’t understand the idea of, you know, the reality of what it is,” Nas said.
He continued to discuss how he doesn’t agree completely with Christianity’s beliefs, but sees where some things were taken too far.
“I don’t agree with all of Christianity’s rules or whatnot. Not everybody follows Christianity by the book, 100%, or the world would be a lot crazier. But I do apologize for that…this is not to try to get like everybody on my good side or whatnot, this is more so to clear my own head about my own decisions. I know I messed up, like really bad this time,” Nas said.
Nas concluded his video by discussing his excitement for the rest of what he has planned for this “era.”
Whether fully understanding it or not, Nas may have felt the mental turmoil about what he depicted because mocking God for one’s own promotion is a hefty weight. Truly knowing God is more than just an “era.” It is a relationship with the living, victorious God who desires to know us and for us to know Him. It is knowing with a repentant and humble heart that what Jesus did on the cross is the most self-sacrificial, loving act that anyone ever could have done and ever will do. Christianity isn’t just a one-day show, an experience to be felt in passing. True Christianity is encountering and walking with a holy God who has poured out His love and mercy on sinful human beings like you and I. {eoa}
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
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