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'Y'all just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion.'

Lil Nas X has shut down critics who have taken issue with the cover art for his latest single. On Monday the rapper, 24, shared an image on social media to promote his latest single J Christ. It sees him lying outstretched on a cross, with the photo captioned: ‘My new single is dedicated to the man who had the greatest comeback of all time!” In the picture, the musician can be seen lying naked – only covered by lime green fabric – on a cross that’s being lifted by five other people in the middle of a valley. While many threw their support behind the artwork, others said it didn’t sit well with them, with some going so far as to call it ‘shameful’ and ‘blasphemous’. However soon after Lil Nas X shared a statement on X challenging those who said the image was inappropriate. ‘The crazy thing is nowhere in the picture is a mockery of Jesus,’ he began. ‘Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. ‘I’m not making fun of s***. Y’all just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. Stfu.’ The single will be released on January 12 at midnight. Back in November he also teased an acoustic song on X, writing: ‘Y’all mind if I enter my Christian era?’ An accompanied clip saw him dancing on a deserted street and wearing a shirt that read ‘If God doesn’t exist then who’s laughing at u’. Well known for referencing religion in his work, the rapper has faced intense backlash several times over the years. James Morrison's partner had 'single' Facebook status before sudden death James Morrison's poignant Instagram post hours before partner was found dead Kate Garraway's son left in tears over dad's simple question Rosamund Pike wears veil at Golden Globes after 'entirely smashing up' face One of the most notable instances was in 2021 when, to celebrate the release of his album Montero, he released 666 pairs of limited edition ‘Satan Shoes’, which contained a drop of real human blood. The sneakers, made from Nike Air Max 97s, sparked backlash from conservatives and religious figures. However after they proved extremely popular with his fans, Lil Nas X wrote this on social media: ‘Y’all talked so much s*** about these shoes just for them to sell out in literally less than one minute.’ ‘Lmao y’all going out SAD!’ The footwear was however supported by the Church of Satan, who asked him to ‘hook us up with a pair’. He previously defended using religious references in his work, shutting down claims they were a ‘gimmick’. Instead, Lil Nas X said he was ‘just an artist expressing myself in different ways’. ‘Whether I’m a cowboy, gay, satanic, or now Christian y’all find a problem! Y’all don’t police nobody else art like mine. Y’all hate me because I’m fun cute and petite,’ he posted on Twitter. Got a story? If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you. MORE : Shia LaBeouf has found Jesus and is considering Catholic Church role MORE : Loose Women star’s Instagram post mentioning Jesus slammed as ‘inappropriate’ Read more