Earlier this week, Atlanta emcee Lil Nas X announced that he would release his new single ‘J Christ’ and uploaded the track’s artwork to Twitter/X. The song’s artwork saw the country rap star (real name Montero Hill) nailed to a cross erected in a field. He has now released the official video.
The music video is full of religious imagery. Hill had previously told fans that he was entering his “Christian era”, and this latest visual features a vast array of scenes. There’s a one-on-one basketball game between Nas and the Devil, a very wet Noah’s arc dance sequence, and a line of people ascending a bright white staircase to heaven.
Hill directed the music video, and it was his directorial debut. Lil Nas X teased ‘J Christ’ earlier this week, writing that the song “is dedicated to the man who had the greatest comeback of all time.”
Although the video is centred around Nas, who plays Jesus, the visual also sees a cast of celebrity impersonators, including Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, and Barack Obama.
Following the release of the video, Hill’s team put out a press release reading, “As for those doubting which direction Lil Nas X has chosen, he proudly proclaims ‘THIS WAY’, choosing to express his spirituality in his own way.”
It continued, “He’s forging a new life for himself while nodding to the journey that led him here, complete with homage to his iconic music video for ‘MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)’. Nas has ultimately ushered in a new beginning, and we have now arrived at DAY ZERO of this chapter.”
‘J Christ’ is Lil Nas X’s first single since ‘Late to da Party’ featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again and ‘Star Walkin’ (League of Legends Worlds Anthem)’ in 2022. In 2021, the ‘Industry Baby’ emcee dropped his debut full-length, Montero, the previous year.
