Lil Nas X’s latest collaboration isn’t as wholesome as his “Old Town Road” duet with Billy Ray Cyrus and the Internet is upset. On Friday, the “Panini” rapper released a demonic music video for his new single “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name).” Within the visual, which he co-directed, Lil Nas frolics around hell and gives the devil a lap dance.
There’s plenty of Satan imagery within the video. Adding to his sins, Lil Nas collaborated with South Korean streetwear brand/creative agency MSCHF on a devilish Air Max 97 silhouette. The sneakers include a pentagram pendant over the laces and contain 60 CCs of red ink plus one drop of human blood. Luke 10:18 is written on the side of the shoe, referencing the Bible verse where Satan falls from heaven. They’re priced at $1,018 and just 666 pairs will be available beginning Monday (March 29), but according to Twitter, they’re cancelled.
The Satan shoes became a trending topic on the app shortly after images surfaced online. Former NBA player Nick “Swaggy P” Young tweeted, “My kids will never play Old Town road again.. I’m still debating about wearing @Nike after this come mike a drop of blood for real.”
“They shouldn’t be playing old town road anyway, we streaming call me by your name now,” Lil Nas replied.
“Lil Nas X Satan shoes are dope,” a supporter tweeted. “NGL I want the Lil Nas X shoes,” another fan tweeted.
South Dakota’s Governor Kristi Noem chimed in as well. “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,” she tweeted.
One right-wing pastor decided to devote a part of his sermon to Lil Nas and the shoes. Within a video, shared by Right Wing Watch, the pastor said he didn’t know who Lil Nas X was. But once he was told Lil Nas created “Old Town Road,” pastor Greg Locke went off. “I’ll never be able to listen to it again,” he said. “A bunch of devil worshipping, pentagram wearing on your nike tennis shoes, 666. You think I’m going to stand for that? You lost your mind. You tell Lil Nas X I said so.”
“Anyone want to buy me those Lil Nas X new shoes?” a fan tweeted. “You gotta admit that they are heat.”
Another tweeter wrote: “There’s a nigga out there buying Lil Nas X shoes to match with his Playboi Carti merch.”
Although the Satan shoes contain swooshes, Nike released a statement Sunday (March 28) shutting down rumors that it approved the collaboration. “We do not have a relationship with Little Nas X or MSCHF,” Nike said in a statement. “Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them.”
Check out more tweets below: