It's been quite a few days for sneakers, Satan and the artist Lil Nas X.
It started with a recently released music video that sees the 21-year-old of "Old Town Road" fame give the devil a lap dance, which resulted in the Grammy winner exchanging words with the governor of the U.S. state of South Dakota who took issue with the seductive clip and began tweeting Bible verses at him.
Then, the announcement that the rapper would collaborate with a Brooklyn company to make 666 pairs of "Satan Shoes" — black Nike Air Max 97s customized to feature a bronze pentagram, a Bible verse referring to Satan's fall and a drop of human blood mixed with red ink in the midsole — resulted Monday as many great American tales do: with a lawsuit.
Nike is suing MSCHF Product Studio, the eccentric company that collaborated with Lil Nas X to create the shoe, for trademark infringement and dilution, saying in a statement to AFP that "the Satan Shoes were produced without Nike's approval or authorization, and Nike is in no way connected with this project."
In federal court documents, Nike alleges that the release has prompted boycott calls against them from offended consumers, who erroneously associate the sneaker giant with the bloody-soled shoes because of their trademark swoosh symbol.
The shoes sold out almost instantly Monday, going for $1,018 a pair. The sale is a follow-up to MSCHF's "Jesus Shoes" — white Nike Air Max 97s, which contained holy water in the sole.
Nike did not sue over that product line.
Lil Nas X's collaboration on the shoes comes as he released his devilish music video for his new song "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," a song whose title appears to refer to the novel and film "Call Me By Your Name."
