No matter individual opinions regarding Lil Nas X's reimagination of the Devil and Satanism in the new visuals for his latest single "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)," one thing that's for certain is that he does not care about the backlash. In the days since the release of the music video, the 21-year-old Grammy winner has gone on to release a line of "Satan Shoes" inspired by the Nike Air Max 97 silhouette (and be sued by the sneaker company as well). Despite this, the controversial kicks have received a co-sign from one very important institution.
Nas X's 'Satan Shoes' A Stamp Of Approval">According to TMZ, David Harris, the head magister for the Church of Satan, reports that the shoes are getting a ton of appreciation within their church for its full embrace of the essence of satanism. They specifically cite the inclusion of an inverted cross, bronze pentagram, and a drop of human blood as their favorite points on the shoe.
For those unfamiliar with the church, Satanists do not actually worship Satan nor do they believe in God or the Devil. Rather, the Church holds beliefs opposed to anything supernatural or spiritual, with no belief in the afterlife. The Church also tells TMZ they believe in being your true self, personal achievements, and living life to the fullest, all values it says Lil Nas X aligns with in the release of his new shoe.
As mentioned briefly before, the shoe release arrived shortly after his polarizing visual for "MONTERO," which features him giving a lap dance to the Prince of Darkness himself. Selling 666 pairs of the now-sold out kicks at $1,018 each, the money he's earned from the shoes will surely help him fight his way out of the lawsuit Nike just hit him with.
Outside of the Church of Satan, public reception of the shoes and his overall use of Satan imagery has received mixed reviews. In true Lil Nas X nature, however, he's taken all of the criticism in stride.
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