Lil Nas X is taking serious heat after releasing sneakers on Monday based on the Nike Air Max 97s and collaborating with New York-based collective MSCHF. The shoes have a pentagram charm, an inverted cross, and actual human blood from the MSCHF team.  

“I spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the sh** y’all preached would happen to me because I was gay. So I hope you are mad, stay mad, feel the same anger you teach us to have towards ourselves,” Lil Nas X said. 

Lil Nas X hopes the video and song will “open doors for many other queer people to simply exist.” He also revealed a fake apology video on Sunday on YouTube. The real apology is his official music video MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name). The music video shows Lil Nax X with psychedelic biblical illustrations that tells a story about how he felt as a gay man in a religious climate. 

“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,” Nike said in a statement on Monday after the official launch of the collection.  The shoes are a collective limited edition campaign with only 666 pairs available. The shoe’s price is symbolic in that it refers to Luke 10:18 and is $1,018. 

MSCHF made an official website for the collective shoe campaign launch. “We expected backlash, and we’re all for it,” MSCHF explained.

Spinnaker asked UNF students through a social media questionnaire what they thought about the situation. Here are some of the responses (which will remain anonymous):

“Absolutely disgusting,” one user wrote.

“Christianity says his lifestyle will send him to hell and now he’s mocking it,” another user wrote.

“I myself don’t like the imagery but artists should be able to freely express themselves.”

“I think he’s trying to push the limits with what society comprehends, I love the song. Also, he’s gay and I’m sure it’s his own way to piss off all the people telling him he’s going to hell.”

“As a queer person, I love this. I think this is awesome and I am being 100% sincere. This is art.”

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