Lil Nas X's level ups are only getting bigger with the world of gaming on deck
Southern rap superstar Lil Nas X is gaming for real. The hip-hop heavyweight has teamed up with Riot Games to become the President of League of Legends - easily one of the most-played competitive games in the world.
Lil Nas X flexes his executive power with Riot Games
It’s more than just a co-sign and a title. Lil Nas X’s relationship with Riot Games will have him immediately taking on the 2022 League World Championship by creating explosive musical moments, an ingenious League champion skin and live performances for the nearly 200 million monthly gamers in the League universe.
Lil Nas X’s first order of business as President will be to kick off Worlds with the competition’s highly anticipated annual musical anthem – this year, performed by Lil Nas X himself. “STAR WALKIN'" will debut on September 23 just prior to the start of Worlds on September 29 in Mexico City. Next, Lil Nas X and Riot Games will release a first-of-its-kind, co-designed League in-game cosmetic ("Prestige skin") for a brand new League champion, “K’Sante the Pride of Nazumah.” Then, Lil Nas X will take the stage with an unforgettable live performance at the Worlds Opening Ceremony presented by Mastercard leading into the World Final at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday, November 5.
Of course both Riot Games and Lil Nas have stepped up to dish on the powerful movement.
“I felt like it was time for me to try something new. I’ve left my mark on pop culture in so many ways, and now it’s time to take on the world of gaming. I will be the greatest President, of League of Legends, of all time. Also I’m going to make the best Worlds anthem of all time and put on the biggest, coolest, sexiest Worlds in the history of all Worlds!” said Lil Nas X. “STAR WALKIN’ is the only song anyone is allowed to listen to from now on. Swag fr!”
“Lil Nas X is the most electrifying name in music, so when he showed up at our headquarters and told us that he wanted to be President of League and join us throughout Worlds, we of course said ‘yes’,” said Naz Aletaha, Global Head of League Esports for Riot Games. “We’ve all been blown away by his vision, passion, and undeniable style, and we can’t wait to see what he brings to the Worlds stage in San Francisco this November.”
While details are still coming together, there’s already buzz on X’s customized skin gearing up for a mid-November drop.
Designed in collaboration with the artist, Lil Nas X "Prestige Empyrean K'Sante" skin will be released on November 3 worldwide and unlockable until November 14. The in-game skin will not be available for direct purchase, but earnable through playing League of Legends or Teamfight Tactics games during the Worlds 2022 in-game event. Players will have to earn in-game currency (2,000 Worlds 2022 tokens) to permanently unlock the skin. Following Riot Games' first in-game partnership with Louis Vuitton, Lil Nas X's Prestige Skin is League's first co-designed artist in-game collaboration, giving players an opportunity to celebrate this unforgettable partnership with a one-of-a-kind skin.
Worlds is the pinnacle of LoL Esports competition, in which the top teams from 11 diverse regions compete for the world championship title. Twenty-four teams participate in the tournament to crown one team as the best in the world. Year after year, Worlds continues to shatter previous records with the 2021 Finals match posting an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of more than 30 million viewers and over 73 million peak concurrent viewers.
