Adidas ends relationship with Kanye West 1:12 New York (CNN Business) — In recent weeks, retailers, social media platforms, celebrities and fashion and entertainment companies have abandoned business alliances with rapper Ye.
Ye, also known as Kanye West, has become a controversy magnet. In early October, Ye wore a T-shirt with the slogan “White Lives Matter” and dressed several black models in clothes with the same phrase at his YZY show at Paris fashion week; the motto has been linked by the Anti-Defamation League to the Klu Klux Klan. In a 45-minute episode of the “Drink Champs” podcast that aired earlier this month, the rapper made numerous outrageous comments that led to real financial repercussions for him and his brand partners. On the podcast, West said, “I can say anti-Semitic things and Adidas can’t let me. Now what?” He also suggested that George Floyd died from a fentanyl overdose and not from police brutality. And he repeated various anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, redoubling them in later interviews. West later threatened on Twitter to “go DEFCON 3 to the Jewish people.” Since Ye’s anti-Semitic comments, companies have been under pressure to take further action against him. These are the companies that have cut ties with Ye. Adidas On Monday, Adidas ended its association with Kanye West, effective immediately. In a statement, the sportswear maker said it “does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other type of hate speech” and called his recent comments “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.” Adidas said they violated the company’s “values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.” Sales and production of his Yeezy-branded products have stopped, as well as payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas said he will take a $246 million hit to fourth-quarter sales. The Gap rapper said he was ending his rocky two-year relationship with Gap on September 15, citing “substantial breach.” Ye said she had “no choice but to terminate his collaboration,” alleging the company failed to open Yeezy-brand stores or distribute its merchandise as planned, his attorney said in a statement. This dude Kanye is a clown. @adidas what do you think about this? He seems to imply you’re okay with antisemitism.
pic.twitter.com/iGjLnMoPGL — Alexander S. Vindman (@AVindman) October 21, 2022 “The way we work together to deliver this vision is out of alignment. And we are deciding to end the partnership,” said Mark Breitbard, President and CEO from Gap Brand, in an internal email. Gap initially said existing items would continue to be sold, including upcoming collections, through the fall and first half of 2023, but today it has reversed that decision. Instagram A spokesperson for Meta said that Ye’s account content was removed for violating company policies and a restriction was placed on his account, also on October 7. Although Meta did not specify the content, West did share a post that was criticized for being anti-Semitic. West subsequently returned to Twitter after a nearly two-year absence from the social media platform, which also didn’t last long. Keys to understand why Kanye West was blocked on social networks 2:37 Twitter Twitter blocked his account after an anti-Semitic tweet published on October 8. In the since-deleted tweet, West said he was going to “Death with 3 [sic] Jewish people,” and also that they “played with me and tried to blacklist anyone who opposes their agenda,” without specifying which group they were targeting, according to Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine records excerpted by CNN. Kanye’s anti-Semitic comments were also the final straw for luxury fashion house Balenciaga, which severed ties over the weekend. Kanye had collaborated with Balenciaga on the popular Yeezy Gap line earlier this year. has no relationship or plans for future projects related to this artist,” Kering, Balenciaga’s parent company, said in a statement to WWD. Creative Artists Agency The prominent talent agency told CNN Monday that Ye is no longer part of Your clients.