Lil Nas X's unofficial 'Satan' Nikes containing human blood sell out in under a minute
Rapper and singer Lil Nas X launched a controversial pair of "Satan Shoes" featuring a bronze pentagram, an inverted cross and a drop of real human blood -- and they sold out almost immediately.
The black and red sneakers, part of a collaboration between Lil Nas X and New York-based art collective MSCHF, were made using Nike Air Max 97s, though the sportswear brand has distanced itself from the design.
In an emailed statement to CNN, Nike said it was not involved in creating the modified sneakers. "We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas or MSCHF," the company said. "Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them.
MSCHF confirmed via email March 29 that the limited-edition "drop" of 666 pairs sold out in less than a minute (though Lil Nas X will keep the first pair, MSCHF creative director Kevin Wiesner told CNN).
They were priced at $1,018 a pair, a reference to the Bible passage Luke 10:18 that reads: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Each shoe's air bubble sole contains 60 cubic centimeters (2.03 fluid ounces) of red ink and "one drop" of human blood, according to MSCHF.
A MSCHF spokesperson said the blood had been provided by members of the art collective, adding: "We love to sacrifice for our art." Later, Wiesner explained on a video call that the creative team collected individual drops over the course of a week using the same type of needle used in at-home glucose tests. The group also confirmed to CNN that Nike was "not involved in this in any capacity."
The shoes sparked outrage online over the weekend, and attracted criticism from a number of high-profile political and religious figures, including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and the evangelical pastor Mark Burns. The latter described the sneakers in a tweet as "evil" and "heresy." Some fans of the "Old Town Road" rapper, meanwhile, tweeted their support and desire to own a pair.
In response, Lil Nas X (whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill), posted a video to his official YouTube account titled "Lil Nas X Apologizes for Satan Shoe," which has now been viewed over 1.8 million times. But after a few seconds, the apparent apology cuts to a scene from his new music video, "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," showing him dancing provocatively with a devil character. The rapper is then pictured snapping the devil's neck, before removing his horned crown and assuming it himself.
The day after Lil Nas X released the music video, he responded to the backlash over its rebellious religious imagery. "I spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the s**t y'all preached would happen to me because i was gay," he wrote. "So i hope u are mad, stay mad, feel the same anger you teach us to have towards ourselves."
The collective Lil Nas X worked with on the "Satan Shoe," MSCHF, is known for its irreverent "drops," a series of tongue-in-cheek art projects unveiled once every two weeks. In 2019, the collective released limited edition "Jesus Shoes" -- also made from Nike Air Max 97 sneakers -- which featured a steel crucifix and "holy water" sourced from the Jordan River.
Other drops have seen the collective sell a laptop installed with some of the world's most dangerous computer viruses for over $1.3 million. In February, meanwhile, the group ripped apart four Hermès Birkin bags in order to create a collection of sandals priced between $34,000 and $76,000.
"We all knew that some people would take the satan element of this seriously...but I'm not sure we were entirely prepared for how much of a furor it would cause," Wiesner said. "Obviously from our perspective, it's just fun, right? There's a really rich wealth of symbol(ism) to work with, but some people have been very up in arms with it."
He referenced one YouTube reviewer -- Michael J. Mitchell of the account "A Sneaker Life" -- who first did an unboxing video, then posted a follow-up video called "I threw the nike satan shoes away." He did so, Wiesner said, "because his fans had reacted so poorly to the concept, which is extremely funny."
In the 8-minute video, Mitchell announces he's getting rid of the sneakers before tossing them down the trash chute in his apartment building (he shows them in the box before they make their descent). "I'm throwing them away, bro, straight up. I'm not keeping this energy around me whatsoever," he said. "Everybody just relax, bro. I am a man of God." [Reply]
Originally Posted by Katipan:
I'm guessing something like "**** you for teaching that I'm going to hell for being gay."
More like: "**** your religion, **** everything you value or hold dear, and **** you as people for having the religion that you have"
I'm just saying, would folks also love the message if he was selling 'Ravana Burgers' featuring meat from cows imported from India, or 'Mohammad Masks' featuring the likeness of Mohammad with a Hitler Mustache drawn in?
It's a free country, folks can do whatever they want, including shit all over the beliefs of others. But it's not some noble act to denigrate a group of people, regardless of whether that's Christians, Jews, Muslims, Black People, Asians, whatever. He's not standing up for anything, he's just shitting on folks he dislikes. If you love it, it's probably because you yourself are full of hate and want to shit all over others too.
Which by the way, lashing out against an entire group because you encountered bad actors individually and presume they represent all members of the group? Look, I understand why folks become racist, sexist, or any other flavor of bigots. But it's just sad, and not imho something to be celebrated. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tatorhog:
Dude just found a new way to market himself. His music wasn't getting him anywhere, and simply being gay isn't edgy enough anymore. So he went for ultimate shock value.
He threw a Hail Mary (which seems incredibly out of place to reference here) to stay in the public eye, but most likely will be the capper on his 15 minutes. Good riddance, hopefully.
I mean, he had one of the biggest songs of all time. It’s a god awful song, but it was huge. It currently holds the record for most consecutive weeks (19) at #1 on the Billboard chart. Seems a little disingenuous to say his music career was getting him nowhere.
That being said, this whole thing is clearly just marketing and all these people causing a furor are playing right into it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Third Eye:
I mean, he had one of the biggest songs of all time. It’s a god awful song, but it was huge. It currently holds the record for most consecutive weeks (19) at #1 on the Billboard chart. Seems a little disingenuous to say his music career was getting him nowhere.
That being said, this whole thing is clearly just marketing and all these people causing a furor are playing right into it.
It's not "just marketing" though, any more than it would be if someone released Karl's Krazy Klothing featuring an all white hoodie with an extra large pullover coned hood with eye cutouts. They could sell 100 of them, clearly not meant for me to buy them, I'd still have an opinion on it.
And folks would indeed make a furor over it. They tend to do so when they feel like they're being wildly disrespected. It's also perfectly fine for folks to say 'quit yer whining and deal with it, it's a free country' or 'lighten up it's obviously a joke' or whatever. But to the folks being actively denigrated or mocked, who feel deeply disrespected, it is hardly 'just marketing'.
Note: I'm not a Christian, and I hardly think pointing out that something is bigotry is making a furor over it. I just think it's worth pointing out intolerance and hate for what it is, and this is clearly that. [Reply]
Originally Posted by mr. tegu:
Nike is facing criticism due to confusion from the public though so they are going to allege harm done by them and it’s also pretty clear the fact they are Nikes played into selling them. I can’t start a web site, make modifications to a thousand Nikes, leave the trademark swoosh on there and leave it prominently displayed, and sell them.
Yes you can, that is the point of the first sale doctrine. There are thousands of resellers that do this. There is an entire custom shoe market doing it.
Nike is facing confusion because people are stupid. This company has been making these custom art shoes for years. They already did the cross shoes without nike saying anything.
Like I said. This will be dropped after the media dies down. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Third Eye:
I mean, he had one of the biggest songs of all time. It’s a god awful song, but it was huge. It currently holds the record for most consecutive weeks (19) at #1 on the Billboard chart. Seems a little disingenuous to say his music career was getting him nowhere.
That being said, this whole thing is clearly just marketing and all these people causing a furor are playing right into it.
I'm not being disingenuous. Aside from one song, he's done jack and shit. Before that song, had you heard of him? Since then?
I've got a 7 year old that loves that stupid song and when I first heard about the shoes, I hadn't put two and two together that he was the same dude. I litereally had an "oh shit, its that guy?" moment. And thats coming from someone who literally had to pull over when driving by Aubrey or Pilot Point (can't remember now which one it was) to take a picture next to a damn sign that said Old Town Road.
He'll be flushed into obscurity soon enough. He might have been able to do a commercial in a decade or so ala Tag Team, had he not gone full 666. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Valiant:
Yes you can, that is the point of the first sale doctrine. There are thousands of resellers that do this. There is an entire custom shoe market doing it.
Nike is facing confusion because people are stupid. This company has been making these custom art shoes for years. They already did the cross shoes without nike saying anything.
Like I said. This will be dropped after the media dies down.
Exactly. People buy and resell all types of things, clothes, cars, games, etc.....and typically advertise brand names.
I guess Nike might be upset here because they feel it hurts their brand with the negative imagery? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Giant Octopodes:
It's not "just marketing" though, any more than it would be if someone released Karl's Krazy Klothing featuring an all white hoodie with an extra large pullover coned hood with eye cutouts. They could sell 100 of them, clearly not meant for me to buy them, I'd still have an opinion on it.
And folks would indeed make a furor over it. They tend to do so when they feel like they're being wildly disrespected. It's also perfectly fine for folks to say 'quit yer whining and deal with it, it's a free country' or 'lighten up it's obviously a joke' or whatever. But to the folks being actively denigrated or mocked, who feel deeply disrespected, it is hardly 'just marketing'.
Note: I'm not a Christian, and I hardly think pointing out that something is bigotry is making a furor over it. I just think it's worth pointing out intolerance and hate for what it is, and this is clearly that.
I don’t really have time to give a proper response, but I do need to just make a couple quick points.
I’m not sure why you’d think my furor comment applies to you. Of course it’s fair to be intellectual critical, but that is pretty clearly not the response that I am referring to.
I also don’t think it’s fair to equate parody with intolerance and hate. Is the Flying Spaghetti Monster intolerance and hate? If not, what is the difference?
Further, the KKK or Hitler analogies are hardly appropriate. Maybe I’m misremembering, but I simply don’t recall a time where armies or groups of satanists were murdering or terrorizing large groups of Christians. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tatorhog:
I'm not being disingenuous. Aside from one song, he's done jack and shit. Before that song, had you heard of him? Since then?
I've got a 7 year old that loves that stupid song and when I first heard about the shoes, I hadn't put two and two together that he was the same dude. I litereally had an "oh shit, its that guy?" moment. And thats coming from someone who literally had to pull over when driving by Aubrey or Pilot Point (can't remember now which one it was) to take a picture next to a damn sign that said Old Town Road.
He'll be flushed into obscurity soon enough. He might have been able to do a commercial in a decade or so ala Tag Team, had he not gone full 666.
In fairness, me having heard of him or not would not be a good indicator of his popularity. I tend to keep myself blissfully unaware of what is popular. [Reply]
Nike is suing the art collective behind the Lil Nas X "Satan Shoes" that have sparked a social media backlash.
In a lawsuit filed Monday, Nike accuses MSCHF Product Studio, Inc. of trademark infringement over the designer's 666 pairs of modified Nike sneakers made in collaboration with the "Old Town Road" singer. All 666 pairs sold out Monday.
MSCHF has not responded to repeated requests for comment about the lawsuit.
In its complaint, Nike (NKE) asked the court to order MSCHF to "permanently stop" fulfilling orders for the "unauthorized" Lil Nas X Satan Shoes. The lawsuit notes that social media users have threatened to boycott Nike over the controversial shoes. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tatorhog:
I'm not being disingenuous. Aside from one song, he's done jack and shit. Before that song, had you heard of him? Since then?
I've got a 7 year old that loves that stupid song and when I first heard about the shoes, I hadn't put two and two together that he was the same dude. I litereally had an "oh shit, its that guy?" moment. And thats coming from someone who literally had to pull over when driving by Aubrey or Pilot Point (can't remember now which one it was) to take a picture next to a damn sign that said Old Town Road.
He'll be flushed into obscurity soon enough. He might have been able to do a commercial in a decade or so ala Tag Team, had he not gone full 666.
You let your 7 year old listen to songs that talk about Lean and adultery? WOW. You are far more progressive than I expected. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mephistopheles Janx:
You let your 7 year old listen to songs that talk about Lean and adultery? WOW. You are far more progressive than I expected.
Honestly, does the average person know what the song is actually about? Even Billy Ray Cyrus thinks it's a song about cowboys. [Reply]
