Posted on by

Adidas terminates Ye partnership, Gap removes Yeezy items over rapper’s antisemitic remarks



Share

Adidas on Tuesday ended its partnership with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, after the musician made a series of offensive and antisemitic comments.Hours later, Gap said it would immediately remove Ye’s Yeezy products from its stores. It shut down YeezyGap.com, which now redirects to the Gap website. “Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values,” said Gap, which announced in September that it would end its partnership with Ye. The clothing retailer said at the time it would sell through its remaining Yeezy inventory.Gap’s statement echoed what Adidas said earlier. “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. 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 company said.”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.”Adidas’ decision also cost Ye his billionaire status. Forbes estimates that without the Adidas deal, his net worth has dropped to $400 million, which comes from his music catalog, real estate and his 5% stake in ex-Kim Kardashian’s shapewear company, Skims. Forbes valued his Adidas deal as adding $1.5 billion to his net worth.The German sportswear giant had faced pressure from the public and its own employees to cut ties with Ye, who said on a podcast on Oct. 16: “I can say anti-Semitic things, and Adidas can’t drop me. Now what?”Calls on Adidas had also come from at least three legal …

Read More