The North Star with Shaun King

The North Star with Shaun King

Lil Nas X, Tony Hawk, & The Perils of Being a Black Creative

The controversy over Lil Nas X's blood infused shoes has resurfaced as Tony Hawk announces the release of blood infused skateboards.

Kendi King's avatar
Kendi King
Aug 26, 2021
∙ Paid
Lil Nas X attends the BET Awards 2021 at Microsoft Theater on June 27, 2021 (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

When hip-hop artist Lil Nas X released an extremely limited batch of Nike shoes with a drop of real blood infused in the soles, I thought it was brilliant. 

Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Hill, is one of the first successful rappers to be o…

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