Adidas has announced it has ended its relationship with Ye, who was previously known as Kanye West, amid a viral storm calling for all companies to cease doing business with the outspoken artist.
The company said that West's recent statements have been "unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous."
“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 in a statement obtained by Vanity Fair.
The German company said that they were immediately ending all production of Yeezy-branded products.
“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 had announced at the beginning of October that the relationship with the mogul was "under review" after he made a series of controversial statements, including wearing a t-shirt that said "White Lives Matter" during his show at Paris Fashion Week and calling Black Lives Matter a "scam."
West would make waves again later in the month, repeatedly asserting that Jewish people control the media and entertainment industry.
During an appearance on the YouTube show Drink Champs, which has since been deleted, West asserted that "I can say antisemitic things, and Adidas can’t drop me. Now what?"
Following the interview, the Anti-Defamation League and a slew of celebrities started a pressure campaign to get the sportswear giant to end their relationship with West.
The Vanity Fair report noted that the relationship has been "lucrative for both sides—the partnership was reportedly worth $1.5 billion, with West being paid $220 million annually."
The French fashion house Balenciaga has also ended their relationship with West.
“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” a spokesperson for Balenciaga's parent company Kering said in a statement to Women's Wear Daily earlier this month.
Mentions and photos of West had been removed from Balenciaga's website as of Friday, October 21.
