Lil Nas X Trolling Haters Over The Nike Controversy To Promote His New Song Proves He's A PR Genius

    A troll wise beyond his years.

    Andria Moore
    by Andria Moore

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Lil Nas X is doing what he does best: trolling his haters and making money at the same time.

    SONY / Via giphy.com

    Everyone remembers when conservative media lost their minds over Lil Nas X's "Montero" music video, right?

    View this video on YouTube
    Lil Nas X / Via youtube.com

    He was being torn apart because of the scene where he gives Satan a lap dance.

    Lil Nas X giving Satan a lap dance
    Lil Nas X / Via youtube.com

    Icon. 

    To promote the song, he teamed up with MSCHF to launch "Satan Shoes" — a sneaker themed after the video featuring Nike's logo. Well, Nike wasn't too happy about it because they "had nothing to do" with the shoe creation, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

    Since Lil Nas X is literally the king of turning pain into profit, he, of course, used all of this controversy to promote his upcoming single, "Industry Baby" — featuring Jack Harlow and produced by Kanye West — by elaborately joking on social media about an upcoming "court date" and potentially "going to jail."

    NBC / Via giphy.com

    "Always stay gracious, the best revenge is your paper." Beyoncé would be proud.

    First, there was this TikTok, where he jokingly wrote, "When you have court on Monday over Satan shoes and might go to jail but your label tells you to keep making TikToks."

    Followed by other similar TikTok variations...all of which feature a snippet of his new song, btw.

    Lil Nas X joking that he is going to pretend not to care about the trial so the judge will fall in love with him
    @lilnasx / Via tiktok.com

    And then there was this series of truly golden tweets.

    nope 👶🏾 @LilNasX

    i gotta get big and sexy incase it’s some cute niggas in jail https://t.co/ETUhcZHHNm

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    @LilNasX/status / Via Twitter: @LilNasX

    LOL.

    nope 👶🏾 @LilNasX

    when people tell me not to drop the soap after the judge sends me to jail tomorrow

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    @LilNasX / Via Twitter: @LilNasX

    My personal fave:

    nope 👶🏾 @LilNasX

    all jokes aside i can’t believe i might be going to jail. who’s going to make mildly funny tweets about being gay while i’m away

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    @LilNasX / Via Twitter: @LilNasX

    But the real cherry on top of the cake is this teaser trailer Lil Nas dropped Monday that he titled: "[WATCH LIVE] Nike v. Lil Nas X – Satan Shoes Trial" (because LOL).

    View this video on YouTube
    Lil Nas X / Via youtube.com

    And since his fan base always understands the assignment, they took it one step further: "#FreeLilNasX" began trending on Twitter Monday to prolong the joke and simultaneously create hype for the new song.

    nicole :) @expiredpies

    me sneaking into court and defending lil nas today #FreeLilNasX

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    @expiredpies / Via Twitter: @expiredpies
    nicole⁷ @pttercrux

    me distracting the judge so lil nas x can run out the back #FreeLilNasX

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    @pttercrux / Via Twitter: @pttercrux
    riles @magicaltwinkies

    All of gen z tryna bail Lil Nas X out of jail with our collective minimum wage incomes #freelilnasx

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    @magicaltwinkies / Via Twitter: @magicaltwinkies

    If you aren't fully convinced Lil Nas X is the king of PR (and comedy) by now, then you're wrong. Sorry.

    E! Online / Via giphy.com

    "Industry Baby" drops Friday. Stream Lil Nas X for clear skin!

    NBC / Via giphy.com