Social media users are claiming that Nike sold its sole to rapper Lil Nas X on the heels of Palm Sunday. 

“Nike & Lil Nas X will launch their new demonic shoes on March 29, 2021 for $1,018 USD,” reads a Facebook post that goes on to describe a shoe design that includes human blood in the sole. “We are living in the last days. The devil is no longer hiding.”

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

The claim references the new kicks being released by Lil Nas X and the Brooklyn arts collective known as MSCHF. The shoes are covered in satanic references: 666 pairs of the limited edition shoe will be sold. Each will be branded with the number ‘666’ and a quote from Luke 10:18, the Bible verse that depicts Satan’s fall from heaven. There will be a pentagram on the shoelace, and a drop of human blood, drawn from members of the MSCHF team, will be mixed into the sole. 

The shoes caused an uproar on social media, with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem calling them “outrageous, disgusting and perverted” on Twitter. 

In response, Lil Nas X posted a satirical apology to YouTube that included a clip from the music video to his song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which features him giving Satan a lap dance. 

But Nike isn’t partnering with Lil Nas X on the project.

“We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF,” Nike told us in a statement. “Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them.”

The shoes are not a new release by the corporation, but a custom adaptation of an existing Nike product: Nike Air Max 97s. 

This claim might sound outlandish, but most of it accurately describes a new limited edition shoe released by Lil Nas X and MSCHF. However, Nike isn’t involved, and the company has sought to distance itself from the project. 

Half True.