Nike Wins Again! What Nike’s Move To Sue MSCHF For Lil Nas X ‘Satan Shoes’ Tells Us About Pop Culture
MSCHF x Lil Nas X Air Max 97 "Satan Shoes" MSCHF
By Cassell Ferere originally published on Forbes.com
News!
Nike’s lawsuit has forced MSCHF into a voluntary recall on shipped pairs of the Air Max ‘97 design in collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X for a full refund for those customers. The suit extends to the Jesus shoes by MSCHF out well before this current collaboration hit the internet.
Lil Nas X has had a bit of a rocky road as his accent to pop-stardom has been hitched to the wagon of most obscure to blatant blasphemy. Most recent is his “Satan Shoes” designed solely by the art collective, aptly named MSCHF.
The “Satan Shoes” by MSCHF is more a marketing scheme for Lil Nas X’s next music project. Evident in his "Lil Nas X Apologizes for Satan Shoe'' YouTube video published on his account, where his “apology” cuts to teaser footage from his new music video. The video shows the rapper lap-dancing on the ‘Devil’ who is sitting on a throne. Lil Nas X then snaps his neck and takes his horns for himself.
The song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” references X’s real name Montero Lamar Hill, not to mention the Academy award-winning movie about two male lovers.
The sneaker reference for Lil Nas X is associated with his sexuality. As a rapper, masculinity and preference give way for male artists and forcibly being taught at an early age that homosexuality and satanism are somehow related. The openly gay rapper addressed this in a tweet of his coming-to-age for what he once believed.
The mudguard displays the scripture numbers 10:18 for the bible verse for Luke 10:18 that says, “So he told them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” The number 1,018 also relates to the price at $1,018 per pair, which sold out on its launch day, March 29, 2020. The MSCHF and Lil Nas X unofficial Nike sneaker collaboration is numbered on the outer-heel for each of the 666 pairs made.
MSCHF x Lil Nas X Air Max 97 designed "Satan Shoes" MSCHF
More demonic accents draw most of the attention of critics and fans. The heel displays MSCHF and Lil Nas X’s name that also appears on the insole around a pentagram, in sigil fashion. There is an upside-down red cross on the exterior tongue tag and a metallic gold pentagram shoe accessory on the laces.
Nike has the most to say…
![Nike said in the lawsuit that this sneaker collaboration causes “significant harm to [Nike’s] goodwill, including among consumers who believe that Nike is endorsing satanism.” (Photo by Natalie Behring/Getty Images) GETTY IMAGES](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5cd2555994d71a16b3b6ffc1/1617554939083-ORD2KVTZ83BPSDDCTF78/960x0-7.jpg)
Nike said in the lawsuit that this sneaker collaboration causes “significant harm to [Nike’s] goodwill, including among consumers who believe that Nike is endorsing satanism.” (Photo by Natalie Behring/Getty Images) GETTY IMAGES
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