Nike files lawsuit against designer of Lil Nas X’s Satan shoes
Officials say the 666 pairs of Nike Air Max 97s MSCHF repurposed were created without their 'approval or authorization.'
The backlash continues against Lil Nas X after the release of the video for his song, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”
The provocative video has gone viral for its depictions of the “Old Town Road” rapper taking a stripper pole to hell and giving a lap dance to Satan.
TheGrio previously reported that the video, which Lil Nas X co-directed, immediately gained massive interest on the internet, with over 1.5 million views on YouTube so far. Twitter immediately went wild, with many praising the emcee for freely expressing his sexuality as a Black gay man in hip-hop, his clever “devil” imagery and sheer creative mind.
Additionally, 666 pairs of Nike Air Max 97s — dubbed Satan Shoes — were to be produced by MSCHF, a streetwear company that repurposes already-released Nike shoes. The sneakers, which went on sale Monday as a promotional item accompanying the release of the Lil Nas X song and video, are decorated with a pentagram pendant, a reference to the Bible verse about Satan’s fall from Heaven and also contain a drop of human blood in their sole.
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However, Nike denied any relationship with the rapper or MSCHF and has since filed a trademark infringement lawsuit after intense backlash from Christian consumers and calls for a boycott of the company.
Nike officials say that the shoe was created without their “approval or authorization.” They noted the design “is likely to cause confusion and dilution and create an erroneous association between MSCHF’s products and Nike.”
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The company also maintains that the shoes have caused “significant harm to [Nike’s] goodwill, including among consumers who believe that Nike is endorsing satanism,” according to a report from Rolling Stone, who obtained a copy of the lawsuit.
The shoes, which went on sale on Monday for $1,018 each, sold out in less than one minute, according to reports. Only one pair reportedly remains, and fans can sign up for a lottery to purchase it on the company website.
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