12 Unique Ways Rappers Have Portrayed Jesus Christ

Christian themes have long proliferated hip-hop. As such, there have been a slew of rappers over the years who have either directly proclaimed to be, or implied that they are the Son of God. Whether it be through Christian imagery, (like Kendrick Lamar wearing a crown of thorns), or downright proclamation (Kanye West comparing himself to Jesus), Jesus Christ has remained a steadfast presence in rap music since its inception.

Lil Nas X is now the most recent rapper to embody himself as Jesus Christ. On Jan. 8, the Montero rapper announced his new Christian-themed single “J Christ” would drop on Jan. 12. The cover art for the song caused a ruckus online as Lil Nas X could be seen getting crucified on the cross, not to mention the song in question has also caused some issues with Christian listeners because of Lil Nas X’s sexuality.

The martyrdom imagery used by Lil Nas X is far from new in rap. Tupac Shakur appeared on the cross back in 1996 on the cover of his first posthumous album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. Nas was also crucified in his “Hate Me Now” music video in 1999. As previously mentioned, Kanye West has not only claimed to be very similar to God and the Son of God throughout his career but also appeared as a bloodied Christ-like figure on the cover of Rolling Stone back in 2006.

As Lil Nas X gets ready to join the ranks of these faithful rappers, XXL has put together a list of 12 rappers who have uniquely pictured themselves as Jesus over the years.

See 12 Rappers Who’ve Portrayed Jesus Christ