Adidas ends collaboration with Kanye West. “Ye’s recent statements and actions are unacceptable, hateful and dangerous,” the sporting goods manufacturer said. The Central Council of Jews, among other things, had previously asked Adidas to stop working with the rapper, who currently appears under the name Ye, due to anti-Semitic statements.
“Adidas does not condone anti-Semitism or any other form of hate speech,” the statement said. After a thorough examination, the company decided to end the partnership with immediate effect and to discontinue the production of products from the joint fashion and shoe brand Yeezy.
The President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, had previously asked Adidas to end the business relationship. “The rapper’s daily new anti-Semitic derailments are unbearable for the Jews in Germany and all over the world,” said Schuster. “As a German company, I simply expect Adidas to take a clear stance when it comes to anti-Semitism.”
On Oct. 8, West wrote in a since-deleted tweet that he would go to Jews in “death con 3.” The American military term “defcon” stands for increased readiness. West wrote that he “couldn’t be anti-Semitic at all because black people are actually Jews.” He added, “Besides, you’ve toyed with me long enough trying to take down anyone who goes against your agenda.” After receiving massive criticism, West apologized in an interview for hurting people. In the same interview, however, he previously said that he was not sorry for the tweets.