Lil Nas X has never had to look far to antagonise the Religious Right. After all, the very sight of a young, unashamedly queer Black artist was enough to have him wiped from the country charts. Whether it’s visuals featuring Satan twerking or simply having the gall to wear a Stetson, it seems that Lil Nas X just has to breathe for certain groups to push back against him.
New single ‘J Christ’ sits in that narrative. The hype around the release has been formidable – a celebrity-studded red-carpet launch, the social media trailers, and of course the conversation around the title itself. In reality, ‘J Christ’ feels slight; shockingly short – a mere 154 seconds of music – it’s catchy, but lacks the finesse of ‘Montero’, say.
A kind of cartoonish trap beat, the vocal belts out of the traps with his unmistakable energy. There’s a sense, though, that once he’s got our attention Lil Nas X doesn’t quite know what to do with it. As a song, as a piece of music, it doesn’t quite match up to those early bops.
As ever, though, the video is where it’s at. With a title like this, Lil Nas X has a lot to live up too – going gung-ho, he traverses heaven and hell, defeating both demons and angels before determining a path for himself. Ludicrously fun, deliciously over-the-top, it plays with religious imagery while also introducing a fresh dance routine – it’s all trademark Lil Nas X, and fans will love it.
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Yet there’s a lingering sense of a missed opportunity. In the bruhaha surrounding the launch, Lil Nas X re-tweeted several takes on ‘J Christ’, some of which cited Madonna and Kanye West’s separate usage of religious language and imagery. In those cases, though, it seemed to go a little deeper. For Madonna, ‘Like A Prayer’ shone a light on different – neglected – aspects of Catholic thought while also holding a mirror up to America’s own racism. Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’ related interviews and photo shoots are tied to his gospel work, and his own feelings of persecution.
In spite of its undeniable entertainment value, ‘J Christ’ carries the lingering feeling of being a stunt. The beat is great, the looks are fantastic, and Lil Nas X hasn’t lost an ounce of his star power – it’s just that he can do a bit better.
6/10
Words: Robin Murray
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