Lil Nas X is standing by his controversial latest creation: the Satan Shoes.
The “Old Town Road” artist collaborated with the Brooklyn-based streetwear company MSCHF on the limited Satan Shoes release. Only 666 pairs of the shoes went on sale Monday for $1,018, according to NBC News and The New York Times.
The controversial, modified Nike Air Max 97s are decorated with a pentagram pendant and a reference to Luke 10:18, a Bible verse about Satan’s fall from heaven. The shoes each contain a drop of human blood, drawn from members of the MSCHF team, in the sole, according CNN and NBC News reports citing a company spokesman.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, Nike said it was not involved in the creation or release of the sneakers.
“We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF. Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them,” the company said.
The shoes follow the release of Lil Nas X’s devil-themed music video for his song “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” the title track for his upcoming album. In the video, Lil Nas X gyrates on Satan’s lap.
The video:Fans praise Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’ music video for being unapologetically queer
Lil Nas X responded sarcastically to the uproar on social media about the shoes by posting a YouTube video on Sunday called, “Lil Nas X Apologizes for Satan Shoe,” which was actually a video cut of him dancing provocatively with Satan.
USA TODAY has reached out to Lil Nas X and MSCHF.
Republican Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota decried the “exclusive” shoes on Twitter.
“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,” Noem wrote Sunday. “We are in a fight for the soul of our nation.”
Lil Nas X responded to the tweet, writing, “(You are) a whole governor and u on here tweeting about some damn shoes. do ur job!”
Clemson quarterback stand-out Trevor Lawrence tweeted critically about the shoes Sunday, writing, “Line has to be drawn somewhere. Smh.”
Lil Nas X tried to get in the last fashion word about the product on Twitter.
“Y’all gotta admit… the shoes hard!” he wrote. “U cannot sit here and lie.”
