Adidas has ended its multimillion-dollar partnership with rapper Ye, more commonly known as Kanye West, amid mounting fallout over his recent antisemitic comments. On a recent podcast, West boasted, “I can say antisemitic things, and Adidas can’t drop me.” Adidas has its own history with antisemitism: The company was founded by a member of the Nazi Party. The rapper has also repeated antisemitic conspiracy theories. In recent days, West has also been dropped by his talent agency, CAA, and the Gap has pulled the remaining products from its Yeezy collaboration from retail.
Earlier this month, Twitter locked West’s account after he posted he was “going death con 3 [sic] On JEWISH PEOPLE.” After he was locked out by both Twitter and Instagram for violating its rules, the right-wing social media platform Parler announced it was being purchased by Kanye West. A few weeks ago, West was pictured with African American conservative pundit Candace Owens at his Paris fashion show, both of them wearing shirts emblazoned with the phrase “White Lives Matter.” He also said George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose, not police brutality.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, members of a hate group hung banners over a busy freeway overpass Sunday as they gave the Nazi salute. One of the banners read, “Kanye is right about the Jews.” Several organizations have said the antisemitic hate group Goyim Defense League is behind the overpass stunt.