View source for J Christ

{{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         = Dreamboy
| released      = {{start date|2024|1|12}}
| recorded      =
| studio        =
| genre         =
| length        = 2:33
| label         = {{hlist|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]}}
| writer        =
*[[Lil Nas X|Montero Hill]]
*[[Gesaffelstein|Mike Lévy]]
*[[Omer Fedi]]
*[[Blake Slatkin]]
| producer      =
*[[Gesaffelstein]]
*Omer Fedi
*Lil Nas X
| prev_title    = [[Star Walkin'|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 imagery of the accompanying music video draws on stories in the [[Bible]].
==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 (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 (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 (publication)|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 (streaming service)|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 (magazine)|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 (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> The music video premiered on January 12, 2024. It starts with a line of [[look-alike]]s 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 [[Jacob's Ladder|stairway]] to [[Heaven]]. The next shot features Lil Nas X, walking in Heaven after the gates open and waving to a [[Moonwalk (dance)|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 [[Crucifixion|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 [[Noah's Ark|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 (song)|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 Charts|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 Charts|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 ([[Recorded Music NZ|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
|-
{{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|[[Music download|Digital download]]|[[Streaming media|streaming]]}}
| [[Columbia Records|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 Music|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}}
[[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:Cultural depictions of Jesus]]