STYLEBloody Hell! Lil Nas X's 'Satan' Sneakers Containing Human Blood Quickly Sell Out, Despite Nike's Disapproval
"These is bloody shoes!"
The $1,018 sneakers, made in collaboration with the company MSCHF, also have Bible scripture from Luke 10:18 emblazoned on them, referencing Satan’s banishment from heaven. The verse reads: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." They also feature a bronze pentagram and an inverted cross.
But Nike has since made it clear that the shoe has nothing to do with them. “We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF,” the company said in a statement. “Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them.”
The hip-hop star, 21, real name Montero Lamar Hill, took to Twitter to defend the eye-catching shoes. “Y’all gotta admit… the shoes hard! u cannot sit here and lie," he wrote.
The villainess shoes are available via the MSCHF app. They have been launched as a limited-edition drop of 666 pairs. A MSCHF spokesperson said the blood had been provided by members of the art collective, adding: "We love to sacrifice for our art."
Despite some major disapproval on the internet, the 666 pairs of shoes reportedly sold out in less than a minute.
In 2019, the collective released limited edition "Jesus Shoes" — also made from Nike Air Max 97 sneakers — which featured a steel crucifix and "holy water" sourced from the Jordan River.
Scroll down to see more photos of the rapper and his custom sneakers.
Each shoe's air bubble sole contains 2.03 oz. of red ink and "one drop" of human blood.
The shoes went on sale Monday, March 29.
The release of the shoes drew controversy as Christians celebrated Palm Sunday, with evangelical pastor Mark Burns calling them “evil” and “heresy.”
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) joined in on the disapproval in a tweet, saying, “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.”
The rapper released a YouTube video in response to the criticism that started with an apparent apology before switching six seconds in to his music video "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," in which Lil Nas X is shown dancing on a devil character’s lap.
The rapper appeared to defend the shoes in a tweet, saying, “Y’all gotta admit... the shoes hard! u cannot sit here and lie.”
