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Even the three stripes has had enough of Ye’s antics, for now. On Thursday (Oct. 6), adidas announced that due to the rapper and designer’s recent displays of animus (to put it nicely) to the brand, it’s putting their partnership “under review.”
For the last couple of weeks, Ye has been barking on the brand for what he considers disrespect towards him in regards to the direction of his Yeezy sneaker line and collection. After accusing the brand of everything from stealing his ideas, to having a hand in manufacturing bootlegs to creating “Yeezy Day” without his approval, adidas addressed the slander in the statement it shared.
“adidas has always been about creativity, innovation and supporting athletes and artists to achieve their vision,” begins the statement. “The adidas Yeezy partnership is one of the most successful collaborations in our industry’s history. We are proud of our team that has worked tirelessly throughout our collaboration with Ye and the iconic products that were born from it.”
Ye’s attacks via social media were anything but respectful, which the brand noted, in closing. It added, “We also recognize that all successful partnerships are rooted in mutual respect and shared values. After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review. We will continue to co-manage the current product during this period.”
A few weeks ago, Ye reportedly announced his intent not to continue his business dealings with adidas, and Gap, when his contracts run out—in 2026 and 2030 respectively.
adidas’ assertion that it reached out to Ye privately makes anyone but the most devout stan wonder how much of the Chicago native’s claims are accurate.
Most recently, Kanye West went full white supremacist proxy when he debuted “Whites Lives Matter” t-shirts at his surprise YEEZY runway show in Paris.
This story is developing.