In recent weeks, retailers, social media platforms, celebrities, and fashion and entertainment companies have turned away from business alliances with rapper Ye, aka Kanye West, which has become a magnet for controversy.
In early October, Ye donned a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt and dressed several black models in outfits with the same phrase at her YZY show at Paris Fashion Week; the slogan was linked by the Anti-Defamation League to the Klu Klux Klan.
In a 45-minute “Drink Champs” podcast episode aired earlier this month, the rapper made several comments that had real financial repercussions for him and his brand partners.
On the podcast, West said: “I can say anti-Semitic things, and Adidas can’t abandon me. And now?” He also suggested that George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose rather than police brutality. And he repeated several anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, restating them in other interviews.
Since Ye’s anti-Semitic remarks, companies have come under pressure to take further action against him. Here are the companies that have already cut ties with the singer.
adidas
On Monday (24), Adidas ended its partnership with Kanye West, with “immediate effect”.
In a statement, the sportswear maker said it “does not condone anti-Semitism and any other type of hate speech” and said its recent comments were “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous”.
Adidas said they violated the company’s “values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness”.
Sales and production of its Yeezy-branded products came to a halt, as did payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas said it will impact its fourth-quarter sales of $246 million.
gap
The rapper said he was ending his troubled two-year relationship with the Gap on Sept. 15, citing “substantial breaches.”
Ye said he “had no choice but to end their collaboration,” claiming the company did not open Yeezy-branded stores and distribute its merchandise as planned, his lawyer said in a statement.
“The way we work together to deliver this vision is not aligned. And we are deciding to terminate the partnership,” said Mark Breitbard, president and CEO of Gap Brand, in an internal email.
At first, Gap said existing items would continue to sell — including upcoming collections in the fall and first half of 2023, but reversed that decision today.
A spokesperson for Meta said content from West’s Instagram account was deleted for violating company policies and a restriction was placed on his account, also on October 7. While the platform did not specify the content, West shared a post that was criticized as anti-Semitic.
The rapper returned to Twitter after nearly two years away from the social media platform – and it didn’t last long either.
Twitter blocked his account after an anti-Semitic tweet published on October 8.
In the removed tweet, West said he was “going against death in 3 [sic] On JEWISH PEOPLE”, and also that “you played with me and tried to take down anyone who opposed your agenda”, without specifying which group he was addressing, according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine records obtained by the Internet Archive. CNN .
Balenciaga
West’s anti-Semitic comments were also the final straw for luxury label Balenciaga, which broke ties last weekend. He had collaborated with the company for a very popular Yeezy Gap line earlier this year.
“Balenciaga no longer has any relationships or plans for future projects related to this artist,” Kering, Balenciaga’s parent company, said in a statement to WWD.
Creative Artists Agency
The Los Angeles, California-based US talent agency told CNN on Monday that Ye is no longer a customer.
Source: CNN Brasil
Joe Jameson, a technology journalist with over 2 years of experience, writes for top online news websites. Specializing in the field of technology, Joe provides insights into the latest advancements in the industry. Currently, he contributes to covering the world stock market.
