{{short description|2024 song by American rapper Lil Nas X}} {{Use American English|date=January 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox song | name = J Christ | type = single | cover = Lil Nas X - J Christ.png | alt = | artist = Lil Nas X | album = | released = {{start date|2024|1|12}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = | length = 2:33 | label = {{hlist|Columbia}} | writer = *Montero Hill *Mike Lévy *Omer Fedi *Blake Slatkin | producer = *Gesaffelstein *Omer Fedi *Lil Nas X | prev_title = Star Walkin' (League of Legends Worlds Anthem) | prev_year = 2022 | next_title = Where Do We Go Now? | next_year = 2024 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|dCrQeUaXkLo|"J Christ"}}|type=single}} }}
"'''J Christ'''" is a song by American rapper Lil Nas X. It was released as a single on January 12, 2024, through Columbia Records.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-admits-messed-up-bad-controversial-j-christ-promo-1234946877/ | title=Lil Nas X Admits He 'Messed up Really Bad' with His Controversial 'J Christ' Promo | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=January 15, 2024 }}</ref>
The song charted at number 69 on the Billboard Charts, 19 on the ARIA New Music Singles Chart, 67 in Canada, 8 in New Zealand, 95 in Switzerland and 59 in the UK. becoming Lil Nas X's first charting single since 2022's "Star Walkin'".
==Background and promotion== On January 3, 2024, Lil Nas X announced the release of his next single slated for release on January 12.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rap-up.com/2024/01/03/lil-nas-x-announces-new-single-and-video-dropping-next-week/|title=Lil Nas X Announces New Single And Video Dropping Next Week: "Y'all Ready For A Show?"|last=Trapp|first=Malcolm|website=Rap-Up|date=January 3, 2024|access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref> The rapper then started teasing towards a new era in early January 2024 by setting up a website containing religious and satanic imagery, prompting fans to "save him".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.vibe.com/news/movies-tv/lil-nas-x-long-live-montero-documentary-hbo-1234838110/|title='Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero' Documentary Set To Premiere on HBO And Max|last=Abraham|first=Mya|magazine=Vibe|date=January 5, 2024|access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref> He revealed the song title and its artwork on his social media on January 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/lil-nas-x-is-on-the-cross-for-new-single-j-christ/|title=Lil Nas X Is on the Cross for New Single "J Christ"|last=Torres|first=Eric|website=Pitchfork|date=January 8, 2024|access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref> In another tweet, Hill shared a short clip promoting the track.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2024/01/lil-nas-x-j-christ/|title=Lil Nas X Announces New Single "J Christ"|last=Fu|first=Eddie|website=Consequence|date=January 8, 2024|access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref> "J Christ" precedes the release of his documentary ''Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero'' on HBO and Max on January 27.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2024/01/lil-nas-x-teasing-his-return.html|title=Lil Nas X Is Teasing His Return|last=Smyth|first=Tom|website=Vulture|date=January 7, 2024|access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref>
==Music video== The song's music video was written and directed by Lil Nas X, with filming taking place in Mexico City.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Daw |first=Stephen |date=January 12, 2024 |title=Lil Nas X Resurrects Himself on New Single 'J CHRIST': Watch |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-j-christ-stream-1235580255/ |access-date=January 13, 2024 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The music video premiered on January 12, 2024. It starts with a line of look-alikes resembling celebrities such as singers Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, television personality Oprah Winfrey, and former President of the United States Barack Obama walking up a stairway to Heaven. The next shot features Lil Nas X, walking in Heaven after the gates open and waving to a moonwalking Michael Jackson lookalike.
The camera pans down to Hell, with a demonic Lil Nas X now boiling human body parts. Back in Heaven, Lil Nas X plays a basketball game against Satan and scores a slam dunk. Then he performs a cheerleading sequence with other cheerleaders. The next shot features Lil Nas X being crucified similar to Jesus and being praised, before changing to a shot of Lil Nas X shearing a lamb, before panning again to him appearing in a fashion show; the show is watched by Ts Madison, who ends up alarmed with the news of a global flood. The next shot features Lil Nas X, now dressed up like Noah, leading an army of animals to an ark before the huge storm and flood hits; during the flood, Lil Nas X, sporting a golden cross, performs choreography on a rooftop, with a glowing red cross on the right side, which is a possible reference to "Starboy" by The Weeknd. The video ends with Lil Nas X, now on the ark, sailing across the global flood. As sunshine breaks through, text appears on the screen, reading "Day Zero - A New Beginning" and "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)"<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-j-christ-song-1234944655/|title='He Has Risen: Lil Nas X Returns With New 'J. Christ' Video'|last=Blistein|first=Jon|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=January 12, 2024|access-date=January 12, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://rapradar.com/2024/01/12/video-lil-nas-x-j-christ/|title='Video: Lil Nas X "J Christ"'|last=Duong|first=Paul|magazine=Rap Radar|date=January 12, 2024|access-date=January 12, 2024}}</ref>
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for "J Christ" ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/hip-hop-r-and-b-singles-chart/2024-01-22|title=ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=January 22, 2024|access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref> | 38 |- ! scope="row"| Australia New Music Singles (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/new-music-singles-chart/2024-01-22|title=ARIA Top 20 New Music Singles Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=January 22, 2024|access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref> | 19 |- {{single chart|Canada|67|artist=Lil Nas X|rowheader=true|access-date=February 8, 2024}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|21|artist=Ariana Grande|rowheader=true|access-date=January 21, 2024}} |- {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|91|artist=Lil Nas X|rowheader=true|access-date=January 23, 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Netherlands (Tipparade)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/2024/week-4|title=Tipparade-lijst van week 4, 2024|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=January 27, 2024}}</ref> | 20 |- ! scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2024-01-19|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=January 22, 2024|access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref> | 8 |- {{single chart|Slovakia2|56|year=2024|week=4|rowheader=true|access-date=January 29, 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215?dspy=2024&dspp=3|title=Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 3|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=January 20, 2024}}</ref> | 2 |- ! scope="row"| Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade) | 95 |- {{single chart|UK|59|date=20240119|rowheader=true|access-date=January 19, 2024}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|69|artist=Lil Nas X|rowheader=true|access-date=January 23, 2024}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|30|artist=Lil Nas X|rowheader=true|access-date=January 23, 2024}} |- {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|21|artist=Lil Nas X|rowheader=true|access-date=January 28, 2024}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|20|artist=Lil Nas X|rowheader=true|access-date=February 4, 2024}} |}
==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release dates and formats for "J Christ" ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" | Various | rowspan="2" | January 12, 2024 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Columbia | style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Alex |title=Lil Nas X Makes A Comeback in His New 'J Christ' Video |url=https://uproxx.com/music/lil-nas-x-j-christ-video/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |work=Uproxx |date=January 12, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Italy | Radio airplay | Sony Italy | style="text-align:center" | <ref>{{cite web |last1=Micaletto |first1=Ylenia |title=Lil Nas X - J CHRIST (Radio Date: 12-01-2024) |url=https://www.earone.it/news/lil_nas_x_j_christ_radio_date_12_01_2024_84592275/ |website=EarOne |access-date=January 14, 2024 |language=it |date=January 12, 2024}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Lil Nas X}}
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Category:2024 singles Category:2024 songs Category:Columbia Records singles Category:Lil Nas X songs Category:Music videos shot in Mexico Category:Songs written by Blake Slatkin Category:Songs written by Lil Nas X Category:Songs written by Omer Fedi Category:Song recordings produced by Gesaffelstein Category:Song recordings produced by Omer Fedi Category:Depictions of Jesus in music