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Adidas ends its collaboration with Kanye West
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Adidas terminates partnership with Kanye West
Adidas has “immediately” severed its collaboration with Ye, popularly known as Kanye West.
The sportswear manufacturer stated in a statement on Tuesday that it “does not allow antisemitism and any other type of hate speech,” and that his most recent remarks were “unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous.” According to Adidas, they went against the company’s “values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect, and fairness.”
Sales and production of his Yeezy branded products, as well as payments to Ye and his enterprises, have ceased. Adidas estimated that its fourth-quarter sales will suffer a €250 million ($246 million) impact.
Adidas and West have worked together ever since the company signed its brand away from competitor Nike in 2013.
In 2016, Adidas expanded its contract with the rapper, describing it as “the most significant connection ever created between a non-athlete and an athletic brand.”
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— SNKR_TWITR (@snkr_twitr) October 25, 2022
Adidas, however, put the “relationship under review” at the beginning of October after he appeared in public wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt. The statement is referred to as a “hate slogan” by organisations that support White supremacy, such as the Ku Klux Klan, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Recently, Ye said “I can say antisemitic s*** and Adidas cannot drop me,” during a tirade against Jews on the Drink Champs Podcast. He also threatened on Twitter to “Go death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.”
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Adidas’ decision is a “very positive outcome.”
“It illustrates that antisemitism is unacceptable and creates consequences. Without a doubt, Adidas has done the right thing by cutting ties with Ye after his vicious antisemitic rants,” he said in a statement. “In the end, Adidas’ action sends a powerful message that antisemitism and bigotry have no place in society.”
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He added on CNN earlier Tuesday that he wishes it happened sooner, but Adidas “has made a very strong statement of putting people over profits.”
Shares of Adidas (ADDDF) fell as much as 5% in Frankfurt. Adidas (ADDDF) said it will release additional information about the financial implications of dissolving its partnership with Ye in its upcoming earnings report on November 9.
The number of companies separating themselves from the West is expanding. West’s representation by the talent agency CAA was terminated on Monday. Balenciaga and Vogue openly severed their relations last week. A documentary on West has been shelved, according to production company MRC.
Also on Tuesday, Gap declared that Yeezy Gap products would no longer be sold in its shops and that YeezyGap.com had been shut down.
“Our former partner’s recent remarks and behavior further underscore why. We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product, ” the retailer said in a statement.
Last month, the rapper said he was ending his rocky two-year relationship with the Gap, citing “substantial noncompliance.” Ye said he was left “no choice but to terminate their collaboration,” alleging the company didn’t open branded Yeezy stores and distribute his merchandise as planned, his lawyer said in a statement.