Nike has gotten a restraining order against the recording artist, blocking sales of the modified Air Max 97s with a single drop of human blood in each shoe.
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April
2, 2021
3 min read
Singer and rapper Lil Nas X has made headlines of late with the music video and marketing campaign behind his most recent hit, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” The clip depicts the musician descending into hell, where he proceeds to have sex with the devil before slaying him and replacing him on his throne.
In addition, Lil Nas X created 666 pairs of Satan Shoes, which were modified Nike Air Max 97s with bronze pentagram, an inverted cross and a drop of human blood in each shoe. He intended to sell each of them for $1,018 (a reference to Luke 10:18, which reads, “And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.'” In the haze of outrage that followed, there seemed to be a belief that Nike had actually created the shoes. However, in the athletics company’s lawsuit filed in federal court in New York, Nike said the shoes were produced without its approval and that it was “in no way connected with this project.”
Missed this from yesterday’s Fox & Friends: they were talking about Lil Nas X and the satan shoes thing. Pete Hegseth had to be corrected by the weather guy. Just A+ all around. pic.twitter.com/7ZbVBj1gJv
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) March 29, 2021
Lil Nas X and the shoes have created a national conversation, and the musician has been widely condemned, primarily from conservative and religious sectors, which Lil Nas X then proceeded to mock on his own social media, writing about himself, “this kid is disgusting. i’m never letting my kids listen to his new smash single Montero (call me by your name) that’s out right now! smh”.
this kid is disgusting. i’m never letting my kids listen to his new smash single Montero (call me by your name) that’s out right now! smh
— nope (@LilNasX) March 29, 2021
He also took to social media to trade jabs with conservative leaders like South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who wrote of the shoes, “Our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it’s ‘exclusive.’ But do you know what’s more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul. We are in a fight for the soul of our nation. We need to fight hard. And we need to fight smart. We have to win.”
Lil Nas X replied, “ur a whole governor and u on here tweeting about some damn shoes. do ur job!”
ur a whole governor and u on here tweeting about some damn shoes. do ur job! https://t.co/qaor6W0B9C
— nope (@LilNasX) March 28, 2021
He then released a fake apology post (which simply led back to the music video on YouTube), and topped off the non-apology by posting this image of white Nikes with the Chick-fil-A logo on the shoe and the words “My Pleasure” near the heel, writing, “we have decided to drop these to even the score. damn y’all happy now?”
we have decided to drop these to even the score. damn y’all happy now? pic.twitter.com/RGpCiiRbGb
— nope (@LilNasX) March 28, 2021
Complex writes that it expects “Montero” to debut at No. 1 on the Bilboard Hot 100 rankings. The song is the first to be released from Lil Nas X’s debut album, also titled Montero, which is expected to be released this summer.