German sportswear brand, Adidas, on Tuesday said it was ending its partnership with Kanye West after a series of anti-Semitic outbursts by the controversial rapper.
Recent comments by West – known formally as Ye – were “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous,” Adidas said in a statement.
“After a thorough review, the company has taken the decision to terminate the partnership with Ye immediately,” the statement further revealed.
Human rights campaigners had called out the German firm for its continued silence over comments by West that have made him more and more isolated from the businesses and brands that have made him fabulously wealthy.
“Thousands of signatures, and still no word, @adidas? Your silence is a danger to Jews,” tweeted Anti-Defamation League CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt.
“We can’t let Ye’s #antisemitism become normalised – we all need to demand Adidas #RunAwayFromHate by condemning his racist rhetoric and re-evaluating their partnership.”
The company, whose founders had ties to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, announced several weeks ago that it was reviewing its relationship with West after he reportedly became disgruntled with how the brand was marketing his products.
“After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review,” Adidas said in a statement in early October.
West had accused Adidas of arranging marketing events and bringing back older styles without his approval.
He also said the brand had hired staff to work under him and organised a “Yeezy Day” without his involvement.
AFP