Fact Check: Did Lil Nas X buy League of Legends

Lil Nas X portrayed as the president of League of Legends (Image via Riot Games)
Lil Nas X being portrayed as the president of League of Legends (Image via Riot Games)

Riot Games recently collaborated with American rapper Lil Nas X to design the brand new Prestige Empyrean K'Sante skin in honor of the 2022 League of Legends World Championship.

The musician will also perform STAR WALKIN', the official anthem of Worlds 2022, at the opening ceremony of the tournament's Finals in San Francisco to continue the celebrations.

However, one of the biggest doubts that League fans have had for the past few days is if Lil Nas X actually bought League of Legends. This article will certainly make life easier for fans and will answer all sorts of queries regarding the "League of Legends President."


No, Lil Nas X did not buy League of Legends

Although the two-time Grammy winner has been appointed as the honorary "President" of League, according to a statement released by Riot Games on October 17.

While it may seem like a spoof, the collaboration between the two is real, with the League of Legends World Championship's official anthem being Nas' upcoming single STAR WALKIN', which was released on September 23, 2022, and will be performed live on November 5, 2022, during the final round of the tournament.

To promote all of this, Riot and Lil Nas X created an entertaining video that featured the rapper in the position of "President" of League of Legends. The rapper is presented with a gold-painted throne, a nameplate that reads "I AM THE BOSS," and landlines installed throughout the office playing STAR WALKIN' whenever a call comes through.

Nas seemed to take great pleasure in playing the eccentric celebrity boss, providing an almost contagious level of crazed energy as he forced Riot employees to listen to his music nonstop.

In a press release announcing the interesting collab, Lil Nas X said:

“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! ‘STAR WALKIN’’ is the only song anyone is allowed to listen to from now on. Swag fr!”

However, Riot's tone in the announcement might make some fans feel weird. The organization portrays their office as "a fever dream but calm" to advertise this year's Worlds and a colorful skin for the new playable character K'Sante, but the company's employees have complained about an allegedly terrible working environment.

In 2018, current and former workers exposed systemic racism and misogyny at the corporation. This sparked a class action lawsuit, which resulted in the company paying out $100 million (including attorneys' costs) to over 2,000 workers.

Nevertheless, Riot's recent roll-out of events featuring new champion K'Sante's announcement has highlighted the organization's "diversity ambitions" and indicated a good working culture for the same.

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