by Sportswear brand Adidas has stopped collaborating with Yeezy with Kanye West, officially known as Ye, stating that he “does not tolerate anti-Semitism or any other type of hate speech” after the rapper posted offensive comments on social media.
Ye blocked his Instagram and Twitter accounts earlier this month after he posted anti-Semitic comments on the platforms. The sportswear brand has now ended its partnership with the rapper over the comments.
“Adidas does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other type of hate speech,” the company said in a statement today.
“Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
The brand had worked with the artist since 2015 when he launched his Yeezy Season 1 footwear and apparel collection (pictured).
Adidas will stop producing Yeezy products
Adidas added that it will cease Adidas Yeezy business effective immediately and “stop all payments to Ye and his companies.” It will also end production of Yeezy-brand products, he said.
The decision will have a “short-term negative effect of up to 250 million euros” on the sportswear company’s net income, due to the high seasonality of the fourth quarter, he says.
The company also stated that it is “the sole owner of all design rights to existing products as well as previous and new color combinations under the partnership.”
Adidas follows in the footsteps of fashion brand Balenciaga, which cut ties with West on Friday after the rapper posted anti-Semitic comments on both Twitter and Instagram.
“Balenciaga no longer has any relationship or plans for future projects related to this artist,” the fashion brand’s parent company, Kering, said in a statement to industry magazine Women’s Wear Daily.
Campaign against anti-Semitism among Adidas critics
Adidas had received criticism on Twitter for not ending the partnership sooner. based in the UK Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We ask Adidas to end its association with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, due to his repeated anti-Semitic outbursts.”
The organization linked to a video showing Ye saying, “I can say anti-Semitic things and Adidas can’t let me.”
Adidas had previously reviewed its collaboration with Ye after he claimed the company “stole” his designs and wore a T-shirt that read “White Lives Matter,” an expression the Anti-Defamation League classifies as a hate statement.
