Anti-Semitism, Outrage & Adidas: Kanye Loses Deals, and His Billionaire Status

Due to a slew of comments, Ye has lost representation, major fashion outlets, and other profitable relationships.

Musician and mogul Ye, who was previously known as Kanye West has been slammed for a recent slew of anti-semitic comments.

(Photo: Altered by Pranay Dutta Roy/The Quint)

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Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia

Musician and mogul Ye, who was previously known as Kanye West, has been slammed for a recent slew of anti-semitic comments, and as a result, has lost talent representation, deals with major fashion outlets and other highly profitable relationships. 

The biggest loss to the rapper has come from sportswear manufacturer Adidas, which had an estimated deal of worth $1.5 billion with him, according to Forbes. Without the deal, his estimated net worth has dropped to $400 million.

Kanye’s philosophy has always reminisced best in his 2013 hit “I Am a God,” where he said: 

“Soon as they like you, make ’em unlike you.”

While Ye has publicly used this philosophy throughout the years, gaining and shedding likability, his standing as a public figure has never been as tenuous then what it has been over the last two weeks.

What exactly is this fresh controversy surrounding one of the most prolific musicians of our time, which has cost him not just his popularity but also monies.

Where It Began: The 'White Lives Matters' T-Shirt 

During a show at the Paris Fashion Week, Kanye was seen wearing a T-shirt which said “white lives matter.” 

It is important to note that according to the Anti-Defamation League, the slogan was used as an immediate response by white supremacists against Black Lives Matter movement in 2015. 

Musician Jaden Smith was one of the first to speak out. Smith, who was attending Kanye’s Paris Fashion Week show, left early and later tweeted that he did not care whose show it was. 

“If I Don’t Feel The Message I’m Out. Black Lives Matter,” Jaden said. 

The slogan subsequently appeared during Kanye’s YZY fashion show and was donned by Selah Marley, Bob Marley’s granddaughter and daughter of Lauryn Hill. 

Among many of Ye’s peers who hit out at the slogan was Sean Combs, better known as Diddy, who posted an Instagram video saying that he “did not rock” with Kanye’s message. 

"All lives matter - but that Black Lives Matter, don't play with it. Don't wear the shirt. Don't buy the shirt. Don't play with the shirt. It's not a joke."

Sean 'Diddy' Combs

As it would turn out, Kanye’s reaction to the comments added fuel to the fire. 

Social Media Suspensions

On 8 October, Kanye posted screenshots that appeared to be text messages with Diddy, following the latter’s comments on the “white lives matter” controversy, where Kanye said: 

"Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me. I told you this was war."

Subsequently, Instagram restricted the rapper’s account due to a violation of the platform’s rules and guidelines. This led to Ye ending a two-year hiatus on Twitter, where he not only continued making grossly anti-semitic comments, but also aired his concerns regarding the suspension to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

In another anti-semitic rant, Ye said:

“I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE…The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also. You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

The tweet was later taken down, the account was suspended for violating community guidelines and Ye continued to face outrage.

According to music data company Luminate, the comments caused a 21.1 percent drop in Ye’s music being played on the radio, while his average daily radio audience fell by 21.4 percent. 

But until this point, there was no tangible damage to the rapper. If there is anyone adept at being suspended from social media, it is Kanye West. But matters began to start getting worse in the next few days.

Snip Snip: Balenciaga Cut Ties

In an op-ed in the Financial Times, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel encouraged several business with ties to Ye, including the likes of Apple, Spotify, Adidas, Gap and more, to halt their relationships with the rapper. 

“Those who continue to do business with West are giving his misguided hate an audience,” Emanuel said. “There should be no tolerance anywhere for West’s anti-semitism.”

The first domino for Ye was high-fashion brand Balenciaga, who made the move to sever ties with West regardless of the fact that Ye, just a few days back, walked their Summer 2023 show in Paris Fashion Week. 

Kering, Balenciaga’s parent company, issued a short statement which said that they would no longer work with him. 

“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” Kering told Women’s Wear Daily.

However, it did not mention the anti-semitic remarks or the “white lives matter” T-shirt. 

No Documentary, No Talent Agency 

But that is not all. Film and television studio MRC scrapped a completed documentary of Ye a few days later. 

The company also issued a statement regarding Kanye’s anti-semitic statement, adding that it could no longer support the rapper and his actions. 

CEOs Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu and COO Scott Tenley, in a joint statement, wrote, “This morning, after discussion with our filmmakers and distribution partners, we made the decision not to proceed with any distribution for our recently completed documentary about Kanye West.”

“Kanye is a producer and sampler of music…Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3,000 years — the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain … Kanye has now helped mainstream it in the modern era.”

MRC CEOs Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu and COO Scott Tenley

The Creative Artists Agency, a talent firm, told Billboard that as of 24 October, Ye is no longer a part of their client list. Kanye had joined CAA almost 10 years ago in a attempt to follow agent Cara Lewis, but chose to stay even after her departure in 2016.

Guess What, Adidas CAN Drop Him 

As controversy around his anti-semitic comments gained traction, and calls grew for Adidas to end their relationship with Kanye, the rapper dared the sportswear giant: “I can say anti-semitic s*** and Adidas cannot drop me. Now what?” 

Soon after the clips of Ye's statement on a Drink Champs podcast went viral, Adidas DID drop him.

The company made the call to cut ties on 25 October, after a partnership spanning 10 years and culminating into the launch of the extremely popular, Yeezy sneakers. 

In a statement, Adidas said: 

“Adidas does not tolerate anti-semitism 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 further revealed that it conducted a review and decided to stop production of all Yeezy products, and halt payments to Ye and his companies. 

But here’s the big hit: Adidas revealed that while the move would cost them $246 million in profit, but the deal cost Ye his status as a billionaire, the cancellation of which led to his net worth drop to a staggering $400 million, Forbes said. 

Lastly, an old scab came back to light when clothing company Gap, who had separated from Ye in September, took further action. Gap said that it was taking “immediate steps” to remove all of Ye’s products from every retail store and further ended operations of Yeezygap.com  

In a statement, Gap said, “Our former partner’s recent remarks and behavior further underscore why. We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores and we have shut down Yeezygap.com.”

“Anti-semitism, racism, and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values,” they added.

Five days ago, in his first post to Parler, a right-wing social media platform he acquired after being locked out of Twitter and Instagram, Ye quoted Romans 8:31 from the Bible. 

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

But as of now, there are nary a brand or public figure, who are both maintaining a relationship with Ye, and trying to do the right thing. 

(With inputs from Billboard, Women Wear Daily, and Financial Times)