Lil Nas X thinks the haters of his “Satan Shoes” can go straight to hell.
The “Old Town Road” artist condemned the backlash against the controversial kicks as a federal court sided with Nike in a court battle over the Satanic collaboration.
Lil Nas X spoke out on Twitter hours after US District Judge Eric Komitee issued a temporary restraining order barring MSCHF — the art collective with whom the rapper-singer made the shoes — from fulfilling any more orders them.
“i haven’t been upset until today, i feel like it’s f—ed up they have so much power they can get shoes cancelled,” the 21-year-old Grammy winner tweeted Thursday evening. “freedom of expression gone out the window. but that’s gonna change soon.”
The artist also bemoaned the fact that Komitee’s ruling prevented him and MSCHF from raffling off a pair of the shoes online.
That pair is the only one of the 666 MSCHF produced that had not already been shipped to sneakerheads who quickly snapped them up after they went on sale Monday, according to the studio’s lawyers.
“sorry guys i’m legally not allowed to give the 666th pair away anymore because of the crying nerds on the internet,” Lil Nas X, born Montero Lamar Hill, said in another tweet.
Lil Nas X’s posts echoed an argument MSCHF made in court while defending itself from a trademark infringement lawsuit Nike filed this week accusing the Brooklyn-based studio of duping consumers into thinking the sportswear giant endorsed Satanism.
The shoes — customized Nike Air Max 97s said to contain a drop of human blood — were released to promote Lil Nas X’s new single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which came with a music video in which the crossover star gives the devil a lap dance.
In a statement after Thursday’s court ruling, MSCHF said it was “delighted” to work with Lil Nas X on the Satan Shoes, which were meant as a companion piece to the holy water-infused “Jesus Shoes” the collective released in 2019.
“Satan Shoes started a conversation, while also living natively in its space,” the statement said. “It is art created for people to observe, speculate on, purchase, and own.”
MSCHF has pointed out that Nike didn’t sue over the Jesus Shoes, which also used the Air Max 97 as a base. But Nike said in court filings that it has not ruled out taking legal action over the Jesus Shoes.
While the court battle marches on, Lil Nas X might already be working on his next product.
“i will be selling call me by your name dildo bundles to help promote the song this weekend,” he tweeted.
