Nike upset after Lil Nas X adds human blood to Air Max 97s, calls them ‘Satan Shoes’
The 666 pairs of the American rapper's limited-edition shoes sold out in under a minute
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MSCHF
American rapper Lil Nas X has caught the attention of Nike after he turned 666 pairs of the company’s Air Max 97s into what he calls “Satan Shoes,” which feature a pentagram, an inverted cross and a drop of human blood. The project, which was not approved by Nike, is a collaboration between Lil Nas X and MSCHF, a New York City art collective, and the hundreds of pairs of shoes sold out in less than a minute.
coming soon ❣️ https://t.co/Iq9Nf0aiHm
— MONTERO ? (@LilNasX) March 26, 2021
Nike is now suing MSCHF, claiming that the company has “suffered significant harm to its goodwill” since the release of the shoes. Lil Nas X was reportedly not named in the lawsuit. Nike received backlash due to the Satan Shoes soon after after Lil Nas X announced their release, and officials said that many consumers “believe that Nike is endorsing satanism.”
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The company was quick to issue a statement following the rapper’s announcement, contacting CNN and other news outlets to clarify that Nike had no part in the development of the Satan Shoes.
“We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas or MSCHF,” Nike said in the statement. “Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them.”
The shoes, which sold for $1,018 per pair, prominently feature Nike’s swoosh logo, which the company reportedly noted in its lawsuit. Not far from that logo, just above the midsole, is the line “Luke 10:18,” which is a passage from the Bible that says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” The single drop of human blood is in the shoe’s air bubble.
if u want the 666th pair of the satan shoes quote this tweet and use #satanshoes to be entered and I’ll pick someone by thursday ?❤️
— MONTERO ? (@LilNasX) March 29, 2021
Nike may have legal concerns with MSCHF, but the sportswear company isn’t the only group upset with the Satan Shoes, and many people have spoken out against the art collective’s creation, including professional athletes, news anchors and others.
Despite the backlash, the Satan Shoes sold out almost immediately, and now only one pair remains up for grabs. The 666th pair of the shoes will be sent to one of the currently 60,000 people who have entered to win the limited-edition sneakers on Twitter.
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