Nike has distanced itself from Lil Nas X after the 'Old Town Road' artist announced he would be releasing custom sneakers that contain a drop of human blood.
The singer joined forces with streetwear brand MSCHF in creating the custom kicks and have dubbed 'Satan Shoes'.
They are modified Nike Air Max 97s adorned with a pentagram pendant and a reference to Luke 10:18, a Bible verse about Satan's fall from heaven.
With just 666 pairs available to purchase, they'll be sold for the hefty price of $1,018 - a reference to the Bible verse included on the shoes - and also contain a drop of human blood in the sole, drawn from members of the MSCHF team.
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The 21-year-old announced the collaboration over social media and immediately drew criticism from followers who weren't a fan of his satanic imagery of late.
It also followed his music video for 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)', which also features depictions of the devil and sexual undertones.
One Twitter user wrote: "This is outrageous, disgusting and perverted and on #PalmSunday no less. Somehow @lilnasx thinks that Satanic worship should be mainstream and normal. I don't think there have been better candidates to cancel than LilNasX and these shoes."
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Others, however, praised the singer for bringing back 'Satanic panic', with one fan commenting: "I love how Lil Nas X single-handedly reignited Satanic Panic. A legend."
But before you try and get your hands on the fresh kicks, you need to be aware of something.
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Nike has released a statement saying they were not involved in the creation of the devilish sneakers, saying: "We do not have a relationship with Little Nas X or MSCHF.
"Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them."
Meanwhile, Lil Nas X has defended his use of religious and Satanic imagery, retweeting a reply to a now-deleted post that read: "There is a mass shooting every week that our government does nothing to stop. Me sliding down a CGI pole isn't what's destroying society.
Other users pointed out that Satanic imagery has been used in music for decades, posting the cover art of Slipknot, Black Sabbath and Slayer as examples.
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On Saturday, Lil Nas X again took to Twitter amid the backlash to explain his struggle with his sexuality as a teen, writing, "I spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the s**t y'all preached would happen to me because I was gay."
"So I hope u are mad, stay mad, feel the same anger you teach us to have towards ourselves."
The video debuted on Friday and has since gone viral, boasting over 26 million views.
Featured Image Credit: YouTubeTopics: lil nas x, Entertainment, Celebrity, Music, Nike
