At long last.
On Tuesday morning, Adidas announced its decision to part ways with Kanye West in the wake of the rapper’s anti-Semitic remarks and various other offensive comments.
The move came about two weeks after West Tweeted the following:
I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 [sic] on Jewish people. You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone [who] opposes your agenda.
Instagram quickly restricted West’s account after this remark went viral, while brands such as Vogue and Balenciaga have since distanced themselves from the artist.
Now, however, Adidas — with whom Kanye has worked since 2013 and which sponsors his wildly popular Yeezy sneakers — has done the same.
“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday, October 25.
“Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate 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.”
As you can see above, Adidas said it did a “thorough review” of its Yeezy partnership and is expecting to lose $246 million in net income by ending the deal.
But it has to draw the line somewhere.
In an interview conducted after the controversial tweet, Kanye told Piers Morgan that he was sorry for the people that he hurt, but he didn’t regret making the remark.
“I fought fire with fire. I’m not here to get hosed down. It’s a different type of freedom fighter,” the mentally unstable star told Morgan at the time.
As you might expect, West hasn’t respond kindly to this decision.
Earlier this month, Adidas said it was placing its “partnership [with West] under review,” prompting the musician to share a screenshot of the company’s statement via Instagram and to write back then:
“F–K ADIDAS I AM ADIDAS RAPED AND STOLE MY DESIGNS.”
West partnered with Adidas in 2013 to create and sell items from his Yeezy clothing line.
Together, the labels introduced the popular Yeezy Boost 350 sneaker (2015) as well as the buzzy Adidas Yeezy Slide (2019) and the Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner (2020).
On Monday, meanwhile, Kim Kardashian made it clear that she has VERY different views from her ex-husband.
“Hate speech is never OK or excusable,” she said in response to Kanye’s ongoing scandal, adding:
“I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end.”
Elsewhere, a completed documentary about West has also been shelved, with MRC Entertainment studio executives Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu and Scott Tenley announcing in an October 24 letter to NBC News:
“We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform.
“Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3000 years—the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain.
“This song was performed acapella in the time of the Pharaohs, Babylon and Rome, went acoustic with The Spanish Inquisition and Russia’s Pale of Settlement, and Hitler took the song electric.
“Kanye has now helped mainstream it in the modern era.”
a
Adidas (Finally!) Cut Ties with Kanye West in Wake of Anti-Semitic, Hate-Filled Remarks was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip .