Lil Nas X’s Comeback: Exploring His New Single ‘J. Christ’
Lil Nas X’s new single “J. Christ” is all about comebacks, religion, and fitting in as many celebrity references as humanly possible.
Lil Nas X is doing everything he can to ensure that his return to music is one of the best in history. On his latest single, the singer and rapper references what he calls the best comeback ever — that of Jesus Christ, who obviously influenced the new song.
On Friday, the Grammy winner dropped his first single in over a year. “J. Christ” hit streaming platforms and digital download stores worldwide, and the song’s accompanying music video arrived a short time later. As was expected, both have created quite a stir.
The song is another great example of how Nas can make hip-hop beats feel and sound more accessible to a wider audience. Throughout his career, his specialty has been utilizing the kind of music that many rappers use to back their songs, but he has also found a way to bring pop sensibilities to his work. That blend isn’t easy to master, but it’s been largely responsible for the superstar’s incredible success on the charts.
“J. Christ” is all about Nas’s own comeback. Throughout the tune, he sings about what people expect from him and what he will give them. He namedrops Mariah Carey, connecting her penchant for hitting high notes with his own desire to take his career higher. He also croons, “Bitch, I’m back like J Christ.”
While the song is fun, and the exact kind of thing that the public may dance to, it’s the video that really turns heads. The “J. Christ” visual is a special effects-heavy production, one that looks like it might have cost millions to make.
In “J. Christ,” Nas blends Christian mythology with fun dance moves and current-day pop culture references. At times, he’s Moses, Noah, and even Jesus Christ – some of the most prominent figures in the Bible. At other points in the clip, he’s walking the red carpet at a Met Gala-like event.
The “J. Christ” video also features several celebrity look-alikes, which brings a playful element to the controversial treatment. In the opening shots, several of the most famous people in the world are walking toward heaven. The lineup includes stars like Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and many others. Some of the actors who played these household names also appeared at a release party for the video.
Nas last dropped music in 2022 when he shared a pair of one-off singles. That year, he dropped both “Late to da Party” with rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again and his own “Star Walkin’.”
Watch the “J. Christ” video below.
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