Pop star Lil Nas X posted an apology this week amidst backlash over religious imagery used in his recent music video. In an Instagram video on January 15th, the rapper explained his thought process but acknowledged the hurt he had caused.
The music video for Lil Nas X’s new song featured provocative depictions of biblical figures like Jesus and Adam and Eve. While Lil Nas X insisted his intent was not to mock Christianity, he admitted “I know I messed up really bad this time.”
“I wanted to explain where my head was at and where it’s been for the last week,” Lil Nas X said in the social media video. “When I did the artwork, I knew there would be some upset people simply cause religion is a very sensitive topic for a lot of people. But I also didn’t mean to mock.”
The rapper emphasized his goal was to make an artistic statement about his music comeback, not to denigrate religion. However, the backlash took a mental toll and led to introspection.
“This wasn’t like a ‘f*** you’ to Christians. It was literally me saying, ‘Oh, I’m back. I’m back like Jesus.’ That was the whole thing,” he explained.
Lil Nas X said he was not the first artist to incorporate biblical imagery into their work, but recognizes he crossed a line for many people.
“I know, given my history with the “Montero” video, anything I do related to religion can be seen as mockery. That just was not the case with this,” he stated.
The rapper ended by reaffirming his support for Christian fans and his intent to promote love and togetherness. The controversy illustrates the complexity of using religious imagery in music and the hurt it can cause. Lil Nas X now seems committed to learning from this experience and ensuring his future art is respectful.
