Music

Lil Nas X Wants Fans To Troll Chick Fil-A By Playing ‘Call Me By Your Name’ In The Drive Thru

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Lil Nas X is very, very good at trolling his critics on the internet. Whether through direct responses to his detractors like Joyner Lucas and Dave East or more subtly calling out the hypocrisy behind negative commentary against him, Nas X has shown himself to be one of music’s most creative clap-back connoisseurs.

In the wake of his new song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” those critics are giving him plenty of ammunition. On the day of the song’s release, he gave a measured response to the complaints against the video, joking, “Y’all love saying we going to hell but get upset when I actually go there.” After five days of escalating attacks though, he’s going on the offensive.

“OMG if you roll down your window at Chic Fil A playing ‘Call Me By Your Name’ they give u a free sandwich and a lemonade,” he tweeted, slyly pointing out how the restaurant chain had reportedly spent millions supporting anti-LGBTQ groups such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Paul Anderson Youth Home. Nas, who is gay and pointed out how the “Montero” video was a commentary on anti-gay messaging in pop culture, warned his haters: “I had 9 months to plan this rollout. Y’all are not gonna win bro.”

Some fans are already taking his advice to heart, tweeting their own joking — and polar opposite — results after trying out his tip.

Nas also continued his campaign of mockery against the Satanic Panic by sharing an extended version of “Montero.” You can check that out here.

Lil Nas X’s New ‘Satan’s Extended Version’ Of ‘Montero’ Is His Latest Response To The Video’s Backlash

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Lil Nas X’s video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” has been the talk of the music world since it was released on Friday. Some people love it while others don’t care for some elements of it, like its setting in Hell and Nas giving Satan a lap dance. Nas has spent some time responding to the backlash over the past few days and his latest return-fire is a new longer version of the song, which he has cheekily dubbed the “Satan’s Extended Version.”

The original song runs for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, while the extended version is beefed up to 2 minutes and 50 seconds. The longer version extends the outro with more of the instrumental and some lyrics from earlier in the track repeated.

Nas previously addressed the theme of the video, tweeting shortly after its release, “y’all love saying we going to hell but get upset when i actually go there lmao.” Over the weekend, he also responded to criticism from Joyner Lucas, who raised concerns about the song’s potential impact on children who like “Old Town Road.” Nas replied, “i literally sing about lean & adultery in old town road. u decided to let your child listen. blame yourself.”

Listen to “Montero (Call Me By Your Name) (Satan’s Extended Version)” above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Lil Nas X’s ‘Satan Shoes’ Reportedly Sold Out In Under A Minute

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The old adage that controversy sells has never been more accurate than when it comes to Lil Nas X. He first shot to superstardom thanks to the chilly reception from the country music establishment to his breakout single “Old Town Road” and now, he’s making even more of a fuss with his fantastical video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and its clever cross-marketing gimmick. The “Satan shoes” Lil Nas X collaborated with design company MSCHF on may have drawn plenty of criticism for their wild conceptual execution but they also sold out in under a minute, according to Nas himself.

https://twitter.com/LilNasX/status/1376551415540195331

The shoes, which are customized Nike Air Max 97s (without Nike’s involvement), were produced in an ultra-limited run of just 666 pairs and reportedly featured one drop of human blood mixed into the ink used to fill the air unit. They retailed at $1,018 a pair, so for them to sell out so quickly is kind of an impressive feat. They haven’t hit StockX just yet, but you can bet when they do the markup will be absolutely insane.

The backlash to both the shoes and the video have “Satanic Panic” trending on Twitter as Gen X users fondly remember the similar fuss over now beloved cultural icons like Ozzy Osbourne, Harry Potter, and Dungeons & Dragons. Their ridicule hasn’t stopped conservative commentator and grumpy hip-hop heads from trying to condemn him, but as usual, he’s had a witty comeback every step of the way — including a funny, Chick Fil-A-inspired take on his shoes that evokes the backlash against the restaurant chain after accusations of homophobia against it prompted boycotts just over a year ago.

Check out the video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” here.

Lil Nas X Claps Back At Joyner Lucas’ ‘Montero’ Criticism: There’s ‘Lean And Adultery In ‘Old Town Road”

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Lil Nas X’s new “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” video has become a moment since its release last week, partially because reactions have been mixed. Some admire the clip’s creativity and execution (like Big Sean) while others pushed back against the imagery of Hell and the devil. It turns out Joyner Lucas has a foot in both camps and Nas has shared his thoughts on the criticism from his fellow rapper.

In a pair of tweets, Lucas (who became a trending topic on Twitter after posting about the video) started by praising the clip before noting the video’s potential impact on children: “That @LilNasX video is wild but as a artist he doing everything he supposed to do. Creating viral moments, making people talk, & creating content he already knew you was going to react to. It’s a formula guaranteed to work. I doubt he actually worships the devil. I think the biggest problem for me is the fact he dont understand ‘old town road’ is every kids anthem. Children love him for that record. They tuned in and subscribed to his channels. So with no disclaimer he just dropped some left field ish & all our kids seen it. Smh”

Nas had a response ready, tweeting, “i literally sing about lean & adultery in old town road. u decided to let your child listen. blame yourself.”

Nas has a point. Despite how popular his global hit became with fans of all ages, the song features lyrics that probably won’t be repeated on Sesame Street any time soon. Specifically, Nas was referring to the song’s second verse: “Ridin’ on a tractor / Lean all in my bladder / Cheated on my baby / You can go and ask her / My life is a movie / Bull ridin’ and boobies / Cowboy hat from Gucci / Wrangler on my booty.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Weeknd Hints At Even More To Come In The ‘After Hours’ Era

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It’s been a tremendously long album cycle for The Weeknd’s After Hours. The album’s journey began when “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights” were released as singles in late November 2019, and after performing at this year’s Super Bowl, it appears The Weeknd isn’t done with After Hours just yet.

Over the weekend, The Weeknd took to Twitter to declare that he is getting in on the NFT craze with a release of his own, tweeting, “new song living in NFT space. coming soon.” Hours later, he suggested that there’s more to come in regards to After Hours, tweeting, “p.s. this chapter isn’t quite done yet …” He then added, “still tying some loose ends.”

That said, if The Weeknd was done pushing After Hours now, he will have left behind a prosperous era of which he can be proud. “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears,” and “Heartless” achieved respective Billboard Hot 100 chart peaks of Nos. 1, 2, and 3, while “In Your Eyes” managed to top out at No. 13. “Blinding Lights” was the best-selling song of 2020 and it recently became the first song to ever spend a full year in the top 10 of the Hot 100; On the current chart, it sits at No. 6.

Revisit our review of After Hours here.

Nike Denied They Had Any Involvement In Lil Nas X’s Blood-Sporting ‘Satan Shoes’

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Lil Nas X has had a big weekend. First he dropped his new single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” alongside a barn-burning video, which climaxes with him seducing Satan before snapping his neck and taking his horns. But there was more: He was teaming with the viral company MSCHF to create a line of Nike Air Max 97s that have been dubbed “Satan Shoes” — not only due to their crimson design but because, well, they also contain a drop of blood in them. The shoes have drawn a mixed response. One of the naysayers? Nike itself.

As per The New York Times, the shoe giant put out a statement distancing themselves from the shoe and from the young rapper himself. “We do not have a relationship with Little Nas X or MSCHF,” the statement read. “Nike did not design or release these shoes, and we do not endorse them.”

Though the Consumer Product Safety Commission has yet to weigh in on the line’s legal issues, MSCHF appears to be rolling full steam ahead anyway, with a limited number of the redesigned shoe — 666, of course — being sold for the high, high cost of $1,018.

As for the blood, it’s just a drop, mixed in with the ink that comprises the shoe’s air bubble. And where did it come from? From the MSCHF’s small staff, who each contributed enough to fill the large-ish order. (When asked who procured the blood, one of MSCHF’s founders, Daniel Greenberg told the Times, “Uhhhhhh yeah hahah not medical professionals we did it ourselves lol.”)

As for Lil Nas X, he responded to the controversy with a sarcastic video, in which he begins to apologize for helping create “Satan Shoes,” only for it to abruptly segue into the climax of his new video, right when he’s begun to gyrate in the Devil’s lap.

(Via The New York Times)

Boosie Badazz Calls Mark Zuckerberg A ‘Racist’ After His Instagram Got Deleted Again

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Boosie Badazz’s has gained plenty of attention in recent years as a result of his social media antics. While they tend to receive a big reaction, it’s not always because of harmless internet fun. One example includes his transphobic comments about Dwayne Wade’s daughter, Zaya, last year. But now, the rapper is back in headlines for his online activity which came as a result of a music video shoot for his and DaBaby’s recent collaboration, “Period.”

Last week, Boosie posted a video to Instagram where he called for an individual to appear in the upcoming music video. The catch was they had to let the rapper “slap the f*ck out of them” for the oddly specific price of $554. The Louisiana native quickly found his stunt man and on Saturday, a video of the scene landed on social media.

The clip shows Boosie delivering the devastating blow to the individual, but as promised, the rapper delivered the cash to the man when it was all said and done. Afterward, he posted the video of the harsh slap to his Instagram page which apparently led to it getting deleted. In response, the rapper hopped on Twitter to send a message to Mark Zuckerberg, writing, “@zuck u just a racist.”

This not the first time Boosie has called the Facebook founder a racist. Last year, the rapper’s Instagram was deleted after he repeatedly posted explicit content on his page. “This is discrimination,” he said during a December interview on VladTV. “Something is wrong, somebody must be mad because I said their name wrong and they chastise me. […] And my Black people are starting to tell me that ‘Boosie, this man is a racist. He knows you affect the Black community and make them smile every morning.

You can watch the video in question above.

Lil Nas X’s Upcoming ‘Satan Shoes’ Have Earned A Divided Reaction From Fans And Confusion From Critics

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Lil Nas X has left the internet in a bit of a frenzy this past weekend thanks to his “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” video. The images of hell and the singer’s interaction with a devilish character in the visual have left fans with mixed reactions toward it. However, that’s only half of it as a collaboration has made some even more upset because of its satanic inspiration.

Lil Nas also announced an upcoming shoe collaboration with viral company MSCHF. The two have partnered for limited edition customized Nike Air Max 97s that have been dubbed as “Satan Shoes.” Set for a March 29 arrival, the shoes will contain a drop of human blood mixed with ink inside its sole and only 666 pairs will be available at the price of $1,018.

For what it’s worth, the shoe collab is just a flip of Air Max 97s that MSCHF released back in 2019. The “Jesus Shoes” were filled with 60cc of Holy Water from the Jordan River. In addition to that, as some have mistaken, the Satan Shoes are not the result of a partnership with Nike. A spokesperson for the brand denied the existence of a collab with the shoes saying, “Nike did not release nor design these shoes.”

What actually happens here is MSCHF purchases the shoes sold by Nike and adds their own designs and modifications to it before reselling them. MSCHF is also known for these unorthodox releases as a 2020 Business Insider profile credited them for “creating some of the most absurd, cynical, and viral projects and products that have spread across the internet.”

Keeping all of this in mind, some fans are upset with the theme of Lil Nas’ and MSCHF collab while others see no issue with it. As expected, they took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

You can read some reactions below and to learn more about the Satan Shoes, click here.

Alabama Shakes’ Drummer Steven William Johnson Was Arrested On Child Abuse Charges

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Despite being on a hiatus, Alabama Shakes found themselves in headlines recently and it wasn’t for the best reasons. The band’s drummer, Steven William Johnson was arrested on child abuse charges last week. The news was reported by Alabama’s WHNT. According to the publication, Johnson was indicted in Limestone County by a grand jury on charges of willful torture, willful abuse, and cruelly beating or otherwise willfully maltreating a child under the age of 18. This is also not the first time the drummer was arrested on abuse charges within the past few years.

Back in 2019, Johnson was arrested for a protection from abuse order violation, one that he pled guilty to in March 2020. According to AL.com, the order was issued after Johnson’s ex-wife accused him of threatening and harassing her. She also said he choked, injured, and stalked her. He currently remains locked up at Limestone County Jail on the more recent charges and his bond has been set at $21,500. Johnson’s arraignment is also scheduled for April 7.

Alabama Shakes’ last album came in 2015 with Sound And Color. The project granted the collective three Grammy awards for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance thanks to “Don’t Wanna Fight” as well as Best Alternative Music Album. The group went on a hiatus in 2018 so lead singer, Brittany Howard, could focus on her debut solo album, Jaime, which she released in 2019.

‘SNL’ Let Pete Davidson And Jack Harlow Explain NFTs In Another Eminem Parody

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As confusing and head-scratching as it might be from afar, NFTs continue to become more popular in the digital world. From the sports world to the music and art world, creators and consumers are taking advantage of the opportunity to respectively sell and own a digitally exclusive piece of art. For those who are still trying to grasp the new concept of NFTs, however, Saturday Night Live tapped Pete Davidson and recent musical guest Jack Harlow to give an explainer about the growing form digital cryptocurrency.

The sketch takes place in a fictional classroom where students have just finished listening to a lecture from the Secretary Of Treasury Janet Yellen, who is played by Kate McKinnon. Pete Davidson takes advantage of her presence to ask a question. Soon, the beat from Eminem’s 2000 hit, “Without Me” begins playing in the background and, just like the Detroit rapper did in the song’s music video, Davidson is seen rocking a Robin superhero costume.

He asked what an NFT is through a rapid-fire rap that, all in all, left everyone in the room confused. Despite help from Chris Redd, who was an obvious Dr. Dre lookalike, they failed to receive an answer to the question. Thankfully, Jack Harlow, who played a nosy janitor, stepped into the classroom to give a more digestible explanation of NFTs with some raps of his own.

Check out the sketch in the video above.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.