Kanye West slammed Adidas for releasing new “fake” Yeezys without his consent, more than a year after the brand cut ties with the rapper over his anti-Semitic outbursts.
West, 46, accused Adidas of “trying to rape his favorite artist” after the brand announced it would begin an “additional release of YEEZY inventory” using its remaining stock, including 2022 products.
The musician claimed that the sneakers labeled as his brand by the company were fake and alleged that Adidas was suing him for “250 million dollars.”
In a scathing Instagram video, West said: “Not only are they putting out fake colors, but they’re suing me for $250 million and they’re also not paying me for the shoes they’re putting out that have my name on them.”
“And they are using contract clauses and 50 years of business experience to rape an artist, one of your favorite artists, right in front of all of you in broad daylight.”
Kanye West has criticized Adidas for releasing new ‘fake’ Yeezys without his consent, more than a year after the brand cut ties with the rapper over his anti-Semitic outbursts.
West, 46, accused Adidas of “trying to rape his favorite artist” after the brand announced it would begin an “additional release of YEEZY inventory” using its remaining stock, including 2022 products.
He also shared a post of Adidas Yeezy sneakers and wrote, “Anyone who loves Ye wouldn’t buy these fake Yeezys.”
“I never made these colors. I don’t get paid for them and Adidas is suing me. All these celebrities and the public will object to a shirt or the color of my cap, but when they see me, they will hide my children.” or seeing a real Fortune 500 company rape one of your heroes in real life, no one says or does anything.
“As far as the system goes, what have you done now? Download my album again. Freeze my accounts again. Threaten people to never work with me again. All the new unapproved 350s are great.”
DailyMail.com has contacted Adidas representatives for comment.
Adidas has donated to the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, led by social justice advocate Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd.
Shoes sold directly by Adidas in North America included blue square pins established by the Robert Kraft Foundation to Combat Antisemitism as a symbol of solidarity in rejecting antisemitism.
The company has accompanied sales with donations to groups that fight anti-Semitism and other forms of hate.
Adidas has donated to the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, led by social justice advocate Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd.
In October 2022, Adidas dropped West amid backlash over his anti-Semitic rant.
The rapper’s $220 million annual deal with the German sports brand, which was worth $1.5 billion in total, was terminated after his controversial behavior, which led him to promise to make a ‘deadly scam 3 against the Jewish people.’
According Forbes, West was on the verge of losing his billionaire status after cutting ties with the sportswear giant.
Adidas announced it was ending its partnership in a statement, and the sportswear maker put its deal with Ye under review.
Adidas revealed plans to sell the rest of the Yeezy footwear on Monday, despite cutting ties with West.
The musician claimed that the sneakers labeled as his brand by the company were fake and alleged that Adidas was suing him for ‘250 million dollars’.
They claim they made repeated efforts earlier that month “to resolve the situation privately.”
It came days after Kanye claimed on a podcast that the sneaker giant “can’t quit,” despite saying “anti-Semitic things.”
In a statement, Adidas said: “Adidas does not tolerate anti-Semitism or any other type of hate speech.”
“Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
The company also stated that cutting ties with the rapper will likely have a “negative impact of up to €250 million on the company’s net revenue in 2022.”
The partnership began in 2013, after he began a collaboration with Nike, and was expected to be a ten-year production.
Before being dropped by the brand, Kanye had already begun publicly arguing with Adidas executives, accusing them of “stealing” his ideas.
West owns the Yeezy brand, but Adidas pays him an annual royalty to sell the products.
German sporting goods giant Adidas ended its partnership with West amid controversial behavior by the American rapper and designer last year.
German sporting goods giant Adidas has ended its partnership with Kanye West amid controversial behavior from the American rapper and designer.
Kanye West attends the adidas show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Fall 2015
Adidas, whose founder Adi Dassler belonged to the Nazi Party, came under increasing pressure to fire Kanye after several anti-Semitic comments.
Experts have also claimed that the resale market for Yeezys will skyrocket because they will no longer be produced in mass quantities.
Adidas poached Kanye from rival Nike Inc in 2013 and agreed to a new long-term partnership in 2016 in what the company then called “the most significant partnership created between a non-sports brand and a sports brand.”
The alliance has produced several top-selling Adidas ‘Yeezy’ brand sneakers that could cost between $200 and $700. The partnership also helped the German brand close the gap with Nike in the US market.
Yeezy generates about 1.5 billion euros ($1.47 billion) in annual sales for Adidas, representing a little more than 7 percent of the company’s total revenue, according to estimates by Telsey Advisory Group.
Shares of the company, which cut its full-year forecast last week, fell about 3 percent in the report amid the Ye controversy.