The thing is, Lil Nas X’s satanic stunt would have been cheesy as hell if conservatives had simply ignored him. He would have released his devilish “Montero” video and done his little MSCHF shoe collab and most people would have said “he’s trying too hard to get attention.” But then Republican governors and churchy types clutched their pearls publicly and gave Lil Nas X tons of free publicity and here we are. “Montero” is one of the most-watched music videos of the week and his MSCHF “Satan Shoe” collab sold out in under a minute. LMAO.
We’ll be damned. Lil Nas X launched his controversial “Satan Shoes” on Monday, featuring demonic imagery and a drop of real human blood — and all 666 pairs were gone almost immediately.
“Y’all talked so much s—t about these shoes just for them to sell out in literally less than one minute,” the 21-year-old rapper shared in a since-deleted tweet. “lmao y’all going out SAD!”
Released on the heels of his unapologetically queer “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” music video, the limited-edition kicks were made in collaboration with MSCHF, the creative agency famous for its holy water-infused “Jesus Shoes” and “Birkinstocks” crafted from destroyed Hermès bags.
Priced at $1,018, the devilish take on Nike’s Air Max ’97 sneakers comes decorated with a pentagram pendant and inverted crosses, and has “Luke 10:18” stamped on the side; the Bible verse references Satan “[falling] like lightning from heaven.” It’s an apropos addition considering that Lil Nas X’s new video, which inspired the shoes, sees the star descending into hell via a stripper pole and offering Satan a lap dance.
“It’s an apropos addition considering that Lil Nas X’s new video, which inspired the shoes, sees the star descending into hell via a stripper pole and offering Satan a lap dance” is an amazing sentence. Anyway, the only problem here is that Nike is now really mad about the association – which they did not authorize – with Satan Shoes and all of that. Plus, I imagine they’re really mad about the price markup on Nike resales. So Nike is suing, which is probably a mistake, but whatever. Lil Nas X keeps winning.
BREAKING: Nike is suing MSCHF over the @LilNasX "Satan Shoes" for copyright infringement and dilution. pic.twitter.com/lEL6DIVyOD
— SAINT (@saint) March 29, 2021
LETS FUCKIN GOOOO! WE MADE FOX NEWS! https://t.co/pkEpbcMPqy
— nope 🏹 (@LilNasX) March 30, 2021
we are in a pandemic & there is a mass shooting every week but y’all are gathering in church to discuss shoes lmaooo https://t.co/PW9Szwd8KB
— nope 🏹 (@LilNasX) March 30, 2021
Photos courtesy of Instagram.
I went to middle school with that preacher. His name is Greg Locke. He used to dress like Vanilla Ice. He also put his wife in a mental institution so he could marry his secretary.
And that is the type of scoop we need!
Right?! omg
WHAT!
Well holy smokes.
Of course he did. ffs!
thanks for this!!
Troll level: MASTER
Seriously. His tweets are mic drops, too. This world. Sigh.
The only thing I don’t get is why they used Nike shoes without permission. That seems like an extremely rookie business move.
People purchase and resell customized Nike shoes all the time. Nike supposedly cares about their image and doesn’t want the shoes associated with them, but they also want 100% of the profits? LOL
Profits – Nike could have made a mint if they’d had some sort of deal with Lil Nas X on even producing a limited edition shoe. I suspect Nike has already been on the phone to young Mr Nas about a colab.
Trolling at a high level and getting PAID to do it. That’s what I don’t understand – How do you not see the trolling? I find this hilarious and satirical and faux Christians are taking the bait. Meanwhile Lil Nas X is just cashing these checks and laughing and pointing out hypocrisy.
How much you wanna bet this foolish ass song debuts in the top 5 and becomes the new old town road?
The pastors and news anchors understand it’s trolling, they just use it to fire up their more gullible listeners to encourage donations.
Having flashbacks to when I went to my parents’ church as an adult because they were going to recognize my dad who had terminal brain cancer. They did a lovely prayer for him, then the pastor freaked out about Madonna kissing Britney and Christina “open-mouthed.” I believe he went on to say that invading Iraq was the right thing though that could have been another time. Also because i always wore black, someone would run up to me with a “word.” If you don’t know what that means, consider yourself lucky. God bless Lil Nas X.
Do I think Lil Nas X is doing the most? Yes. Will it affect my life? No. So I can’t really care too much.
I feel like the customized brand-name shoe genre is a very slippery slope, so I am not surprised by the pushback from Nike. But I’m glad Nas X is being himself, pushing boundaries, so that we can just live instead of living on eggshells around these “puritans” in name only. I’m not courageous enough to do it, that’s for sure.
After all the complaining, I went to watch Montero (same reason i watched WAP) and I’m confused about the controversy. I don’t see people all up in arms over Lucifer – a tv show romanticising a demon. Don’t people also watch horror shows where the devil is depicted? I just don’t get what people choose to be upset about and why they choose to ignore it when done by others.
I think people WERE up in arms about Lucifer before it came out. There was some kind of campaign to censor the show because they didn’t want the show to glorify a “likable and charming Lucifer.” The furor lasted probably a few days and then was promptly forgotten. And I love Lucifer and as a non-practicing Catholic I love the take that Lucifer is not some evil, sadistic character but a deeply flawed, yet kind and endearing with some humanity trying to live his best life on Earth.
Yeah there was definitely backlash against Lucifer when it just came out and I think that had something to do with it being cancelled (it was picked up afterwards by Netflix). I remember someone from the cast “thanking” One Million Moms recently for making them even more popular.
But the added difference is that Lil Nas X is Black, male, and gay plus he’s recognizing (honoring maybe maybe not?) drag culture, queer culture, non-binary representation, sex workers, etc. on and on. So he is everything these people most fear and hate. And making crazy bank on top of it. White supremacist Christians can’t stand it when BIPOC make money either.
Ahh haaa. These ginned up controversies are so tired. Is Nas X extra? Yes. Is it a big deal. No.
Homeboy is also like 23 years old. He is still so, so young. Let him live and learn. Ugh.
I hadn’t heard of him before but I watched the video and LOVED it – its very creative and he has moves. He’s an immensely talented young man, being an out gay man in the country and rap/hip hop music genre’s is not easy and for that alone he should be seen as a role model to young black men who are also struggling with their sexuality and gender identity.
I love his flamboyancy – he’s a bit like a young Elton John/Freddie Mercury in that way.
I’m not in any way implying that this guy’s similar in any OTHER way to Marilyn Manson, but this stunt totally reminds me of Marilyn Manson, back in the day: “Guys, this is pretty edgy, right? You’re pretty freaked out, aren’t you? Are you freaked out now? Okay, how about now?”
Yeah, but he’s young still. And people ARE freaked out, which is ridiculous. It’s so over-the-top, I find the whole thing hilarious. Also, it sounds like he’s still processing his (somewhat recent) past as a closeted teenager reckoning with his position in Christianity. If this is what he has to say about that, then good for him.
except that Manson takes himself VERY SERIOUSLY…and it’s clear that this was a massive trolling op for Nas X that he thinks is hilarious.
Before MM it was Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne did it. KISS had their blood made into red ink for a comic book about them..
Honestly, the goal is just to have something that makes parents freak out. Kids can’t use something as a tool to rebel against their parents if their parents like it! By being so outraged, Fox News is just playing a supporting role that makes this gimmick successful. It’s hilarious. Lil Nas’s plan was so obvious, and they played right into it.
This
I can’t get past the fact that I think he looks like he’s 17 so it made watching the video uncomfortable. I feel that way about Ariana Grande too. It’s not their fault they look like teenagers but I think they do so watching them be sexual isn’t anything I want to see.
I didn’t hate the song but I don’t need to hear it on repeat. He has some musical talent and he’s hilarious on Twitter. I hope Nike doesn’t sue him into oblivion.
Lil Nas X is a marketing/publicity genius. Isn’t he the artist who re-released his song over and over over to dominate the top three spots with “Old Town Road”? Nothing but respect. Also a great way to break his recent association with being a children’s’ musician.
Yep, and his tweets are on point. I haven’t seen this video, but I hope young people are following him on social media and paying attention.
I literally just heard about this while I was at the dentist’s, this story aired on Fox News (I didn’t pick the channel it was already on) while the dentist and hygienist were poking around in my mouth. As a lapsed Catholic, I don’t want anything with devilish imagery in my house so a huge hope to these shoes but I find the whole concept and premise of the project pretty genius. I think the drop of human blood is a bit over the top and for me too macabre (if it were my own blood I would be fine with it but I don’t want to be carrying around some stranger’s blood on my feet!). I haven’t watched the video yet but I dunno, I feel like all young artists do some kind of over the top and extra music video at some point in their lives.
Madonna had Like a Prayer (among others haha), Miley Cyrus Can’t Be Tamed and Wrecking Ball, Christina Aguilera had Dirrty, Britney Spears had I’m a Slave 4 U, the list goes on. I categorize this song in that same wheelhouse that many artists, especially if they start out young, usually have one song that is a major turning point in their career which involves shedding their younger image and trying to “shock” audiences with their new “mature adult” image. And Lil Nas X is 21 so this tracks. He’ll probably look back in 20 years and think “wtf was I thinking” or “yeah that was a ballsy thing I did and so proud of it!”
I love this dude he is SO GOOD AT THIS SH*T
The more things change yada yada yada. I was thrown into the middle of a huge prayer circle at church comprised of the entire youth group and their families because on Halloween, the drill team (30 girls) gathered at a home to turn out the lights and watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Mom got wind somehow, furiously drove over, cursed out the parents and dragged me out. Thus the intense church vigil over my soul. All the while, I could’ve immediately named three church officials having affairs and one was doing a high schooler. Pearl clutchers are the worst kind of hypocrites on the planet. And they’re the loudest. I truly wish there was a hell.
Anyone remember KISS?!
I still don’t understand how he is going to make money out of these shoes. Isn’t Nike just going to take all the profits and then some for using their brand without permission?
Artistic license. Copyright only applies in certain cases, otherwise no one could do a satirical work of art. Pretty sure Nike doesn’t have much of a case here.
But Nike was fine with the Jesus shoes.
But Nike was fine with the Jesus shoes.