Black Headline News
Black Wall Street Times
By Ezekiel J. Walker
On Tuesday, Adidas announced it has ended its partnership with Ye, also known as Kanye West, with “immediate effect.”
In a statement, the sportswear giant affirmed it “does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech” and said that his recent comments were “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.” Adidas said his words violated the company’s “values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
The statement continued, “After a thorough review, the company has taken the decision to terminate the partnership with Ye immediately, end production of Yeezy branded products and stop all payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas will stop the Adidas Yeezy business with immediate effect.”
This may or may not come as a surprise to Ye, who himself has been publicly critical of Adidas, along with Gap, in recent months over the creative direction and approval of his brand’s merchandise.
Ye told CNBC that Adidas was “copying” his ideas, and also posted social media tirades against the company, specifically targeting Chief Executive Kasper Rorsted and board members.
Adidas reports sales and production of his Yeezy branded products have ceased as well as payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas said it will take a $246 million loss to its fourth quarter sales as a result of ending the Yeezy partnership.
The list of brands distancing themselves from West is consistently growing. Balenciaga and Vogue publicly cut ties last week, and on Monday, talent agency CAA dropped West as a client. Production company MRC also said that it’s shelving a documentary on West.
Over the weekend, several Los Angeles city officials condemned demonstrations in support of West’s rampant antisemitic comments, in which a group of people gave the Nazi salute by a freeway and held signs encouraging drivers to “honk if you know” alongside “Kanye is right about the Jews.”
StopAntisemitism.org, a nonprofit group dedicated to documenting antisemitic behavior, said the Goyim Defense League (GDL) was responsible for hanging the banners above Interstate 405.
The Anti-Defamation League in Southern California tweeted that the GDL was “known for espousing vitriolic #antisemitism and white supremacist ideology.”
“We condemn this weekend’s antisemitic incidents,” Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted. “Jewish Angelenos should always feel safe. There is no place for discrimination or prejudice in Los Angeles. And we will never back down from the fight to expose and eliminate it.”
Ye’s lost support from financiers, fans, family, and friends, and by the day it appears his only public support is increasingly – and dangerously – coming from far-right conspiracy theorists and white supremacy groups.
