Lil Nas X apologizes after backlash from Christians saying his new song is 'mocking Christianity'

Rapper Lil Nas X issued an apology on Instagram Monday in response to the backlash he has received from the Christian community over his latest single "J Christ."

Before the song was even released, Christian rappers denounced the new single as a mockery of Jesus Christ and religion. In response to the backlash, the rapper posted a video to Instagram, providing an explanation and apology to those offended by his new song, which was released on Friday.

The music video and its accompanying promotion featured religious imagery, including a portrayal of the rapper as Jesus Christ on the cross, which immediately prompted criticism from many Christians who interpreted it as "mocking" and "disrespecting" Christianity.

"I know I messed up really bad this time. I can act unbothered all I want, but it's definitely taken a mental toll on me," Lil Nas X said in an Instagram video. "I'm not some evil demon guy trying to destroy everybody's values and stuff like that. That's not me."

He explained that he knew there would be some "upset people," because religion is "a very sensitive topic for a lot of people," but admitted that he "didn't mean to mock, this wasn't like a f--- you to you people … it was literally me saying I'm back like Jesus."

In his apology, Lil Nas X explained that he thought people would have picked up on the underlying message of the song, which he said is a metaphor for his resurrected career. He specifically mentioned a scene in the music video where he fights Satan, as evidence that he was not trying to offend Christians. 

"Also, with the [music] video, there is no disrespect there," he said. "I thought me clearly not being on the side of the devil in that video was the… I don't know… there was an understanding there that I am not like trying to diss Christianity."

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As part of his promotion for the song's release last week, he shared a TikTok video that showed him downing "juice and crackers" used in the Christian communion. The rapper also joked that he was releasing new gospel music independently and posted a fake acceptance letter from Christian college Liberty University for Biblical studies. 

"I thought that video was gonna be the video to lighten the mood… I didn't understand the reality of what it is… but I do apologize for that, I will say I am sorry for that, that was overboard," he said. 

The rapper clarified that his apology video wasn't an attempt to get on everybody's "good side," but to clear his own head about the decisions he has made. 

Christian rapper Bryson Gray denounced the images in the lead up to the song's release and called on other Christians to do the same.

"My thoughts on this is that I believe Lil Nas X is potentially a reprobate as described in Romans 1," he told Fox News Digital. "I think that he is mocking Christianity. He is mocking Christ. That's why he uses Christian imagery to do it. He's doing it with the goal to mock us because that's how he gets his clicks. I don't care if he gets the clicks about Christians reacting. I want to see more Christians reacting," 

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Lil Nas X has been associated with demonic imagery in the past. In 2021, he collaborated on Satan-themed sneakers that featured a pentagram and inverted cross that reportedly contained 60 CCs of red ink mixed with a drop of human blood in the sole of the shoe. There were only 666 pairs made available.

In addition, in the music video for his 2021 song "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)," the rapper was dressed provocatively while pole dancing and giving Satan a lap dance in Hell. 

"I know, like, given my history… anything that I do related to religion can be seen as like mockery, that just was not the case with this," he said.

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