Lil Nas X has hilariously on-brand reaction to new single ‘J Christ’ charting at 69
Lil Nas X’s released new single “J Christ” in January. (Getty/Emma McIntyre)
Singer Lil Nas X has reacted to his new single “J Christ” entering the charts at number 69, by joking that “we reached the funny number.”
The track is the queer artist’s first single in two years, but the chart figures seemingly didn’t deliver the “greatest comeback of all time” he promised ahead of its release.
Although “J Christ” made it into the top 100, it had a relatively low debut compared with previous hit “Old Town Road” which spent 19 weeks on top of the US Billboard Hot 100 – the longest-running number-one song since the chart began in 1958.
However, the artist has taken his latest song’s destiny in his stride and, as ever, joked about the situation on social media.
“We did it boys. We reached the funny number. Be very proud of yourselves. This is our moment”, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Fans were quick to defend the song, with many labelling its low chart position an injustice.
“This song deserves so much higher,” one fan wrote. “It’s a f***ing banger, as per usual.”
Another said: “I’m so proud of you and everything you stand for. Keep inspiring other young Black gays.”
And a third wrote: “I will keep defending this song.”
Lil Nas was accused of “trolling Christians” earlier this month after he announced plans to “enter his Christian era” and return to education, taking up a biblical studies course at Liberty University, in Virginia.
The accompanying video for “J Christ” featured heavily religious imagery, including the star portraying Jesus on the cross.
Sharing a photo of an “acceptance” letter, he tweeted: “I know Twitter hates me right now but I want y’all to know I’m about to go to college. Not everything is a troll. Anyways, I’m a student again. Let’s go.”
Upon closer inspection, however, fans realised that the letter had not been signed by the college’s current president Dondi E. Costin, but by Jerry Falwell Jr, who held the position between 2007 and 2020.
Lil Nas later issued a clarification about the divisive song and its artwork, noting that he anticipated it would be controversial but that he didn’t mean to mock Christianity.
“It was me saying: ‘Oh, I’m back like Jesus’, that was the whole thing,” he explained in a video posted on X. “I’m not the first person to dress up as Jesus, I’m not the first rapper and I won’t be the last.”
