The internet has been abuzz with both attacks and support for a shoe promoted by rapper Lil Nas X. The so-called “Satan Shoes” promote the rapper’s satanic branding on custom modified Air Max 97 shoes by Nike, but according to Nike they have no affiliation with the designers nor the rapper. Now, Nike is suing art collective MSCHF.
In the lawsuit, obtained by Rolling Stone, Nike said the “Satan shoe” was made without the company’s “approval or authorization.” It adds that the shoe is “likely to cause confusion and dilution and create an erroneous association between MSCHF’s products and Nike,” and that the shoe has already caused “significant harm to [Nike’s] goodwill, including among consumers who believe that Nike is endorsing satanism.”
The backlash against Nike was swift and harsh. They were unable to get ahead of the story and have been associated with both Lil Nas X and his custom shoes. But for the rapper, this is all part of the branding scheme. The shoes are “special edition” with only 666 being made. They are selling for $1018, a reference to Luke 10:18 which includes the statement, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
Much of the controversy surrounds the midsole which is filled with red liquid that allegedly includes a drop of human blood. The shoe features a pentagram and inverted cross, among other satanic symbols.
As intended, these shoes have sparked debates all across social media. The rapper has gotten into Twitter spats with prominent conservatives and even threatened to rape conservative commentator Kaitlin Bennett’s father. According to The Gateway Pundit.
Satanic rapper Lil Nas said he might rape Kaitlin Bennett’s father during a spat on Twitter. “Lil Nas just threatened to rape my dad. Sounds about what I’d expect,” Bennett tweeted with a screenshot.
The exchange began when Bennett tweeted that she was happy to be blocked by the rapper, who made headlines this week for Satanic sneakers containing human blood and a music video in which he gives Satan a lap dance.
Things escalated quickly from there, as Lil Nas tweeted “i still see ur tweets shitty pants,” referring to a cruel internet meme in which “feminists” on the left have spread a photo of a half naked girl that had an… accident… and claimed that it is Bennett. Yes, you read that correctly, the same group that claims to defend and believe women has used revenge porn of some unknown girl passed out at a party to shame Bennett for her politics.
Lil Nas X is fighting for attention. Nike is trying to take attention away from them. Meanwhile, time is being wasted on a shoe that is nothing more than a publicity stunt that is, unfortunately, working.