Lil Nas X Takes Himself to Court Over 'Satan Shoes' in Cinematic Teaser for New Song 'Industry Baby'

The 'Sun Goes Down' singer announced his new single will drop on Friday, July 23.

Never let it be said that Lil Nas X doesn't know how to laugh at himself. On Monday, the "Call Me By Your Name" singer announced the release date of his next song, "Industry Baby," with a teaser that pokes fun at the controversy surrounding his infamous "Satan Shoes" and critics who slam him for his sexual performances. 

The two-minute video features a trial in which Lil Nas X faces a jury of his peers -- including himself. The artist juggles multiple roles, including playing himself, the judge, the lawyers, and the sole juror who speaks a line. The spoof follows Lil Nas X's comments about appearing in court over his trademark infringement case with Nike. 

The artist collaborated with MSCHF Product Studio to produce unauthorized modified versions of Nike's Air Max 97 tied to the release of Lil Nas X's song, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)." Each pair features a bronze pentagram charm, an inverted cross and one drop of human blood, according to the company. Even with a $1,018 price tag -- a reference to the Bible passage Luke 10:18, which reads, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" -- the 665 pairs of shoes sold out minutes after they were released in late March.

On April 9, Nike announced that it had settled its lawsuit against MSCHF, with the latter agreeing to issue a voluntary recall of the shoes as a condition of the settlement. 

Lil Nas X wasn't named as a defendant in the lawsuit, so the jokes have probably just been promotion for the skit, which serves as promo for "Industry Baby" featuring Jack Harlow. The track boasts co-production from Take a Daytrip and Kanye West. 

The clip has Lil Nas X as the prosecuting attorney, who states that the trial isn't so much about the shoes, but rather Lil Nas X's sexuality. After the musician acknowledges that he's gay, and yes, his mom knows he's gay, the judge sentences him to five years in "Montero State Prison."

"Industry Baby" drops on Friday and will likely appear on Lil Nas X's debut album, Montero

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