Sportswear company Adidas announced Tuesday that it has ended its partnership with rapper and fashion designer Kanye West over his recent antisemitic comments. "Ye," as he now goes by, has made comments both on social media and in interviews of late in which he attacked Jewish people.
"Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech," the German company said in a statement, via CBS News. "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."
Adidas said that it completed a "thorough review" that led it to the decision to immediately cease production of Yeezy products. This choice will reportedly cost the company up to $246 million in its net income this year. Leading up to Tuesday's announcement, users on social media took to Adidas' accounts, flooding them with comments calling for the company to distance themselves from the controversial artist.
Ye was suspended from both Twitter and Instagram earlier this month after posting antisemitic comments. He even tweeted he would go "death con 3" on Jewish people.
Adidas is just the latest company to part ways with West, as he has been dropped by his talent agency, CAA, and the Balenciaga fashion house, among other entities.
West has a marketing agency named Donda Sports, which had previously signed two star athletes in defensive tackle Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, and guard Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. On Tuesday evening, both Donald and Brown announced that they have decided to part ways with Donda Sports.
Donald said that "the recent comments and displays of hate and antisemitism are the exact opposite of how we chose to live our lives and raise our children" Meanwhile, Brown initially said this week that he did not plan to leave Donda Sports, but did not approve of Ye's comments. Upon reflection, Brown said that he recognizes "that there are times when my voice and my position can't coexist in spaces that don't correspond with my stance or my values."
Adidas' deal with West started in 2016, with the company calling it "the most significant partnership ever created between an athletic brand and a non-athlete" at the time.
