Adidas cut ties with Ye (formerly Kanye West) as Adidas faced pressure to end its partnership with the rapper following Ye’s anti-Semitic remarks.
“Adidas does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other form of hate speech,” the company said in a statement Tuesday. “Mr. Ye’s recent remarks and actions are unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
The German sports brand said the “immediate” termination of the partnership with Ye came after a “thorough review”.
Adidas, which began its partnership with Ye in 2013, said it would discontinue production of Yeezy-branded products and stop all payments to Ye and his company.
“Adidas will immediately cease the Adidas Yeezy business,” the statement said.
The move is expected to have a “short-term negative impact of up to 250 million euros,” or about $246 million, on the company’s net income in 2022, the company said.
The decision comes amid growing pressure from people online for an anti-Semitic hate group to hang a banner reading “Kanye is right about Jews” on a Los Angeles freeway Saturday. Made after the company terminated its relationship with the artist.
The banner was condemned by many local politicians, social media users and celebrities.
Ye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian, tweet On Monday, she pledged to “stand with the Jewish community and call for an immediate end to the horrific violence and hate speech directed at them.” She did not mention Ye or Adidas in her tweet.
Adidas also said this month that it was re-evaluating its partnership with Yeh after he donned a “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week.
The severing follows steps that others in the fashion and entertainment industry — including luxury fashion house Balenciaga and talent agency CAA — have taken in response to the singer’s controversy. NBC News has reached out to Ye’s publicist for comment.
Gap, which announced the termination of its partnership with Yeezy Gap in September, said in a statement Tuesday: “We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap products from our stores, and we have closed YeezyGap.com.”
“In accordance with our values, any form of antisemitism, racism and hate is inexcusable and intolerable,” the company said. “On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we work with organizations fighting hate and discrimination. .”
Earlier this month, Ye was also restricted from being locked out of his Twitter account and Instagram following backlash for his anti-Semitic posts.
The Anti-Defamation League applauded the announcement, with CEO Jonathan Greenblatt saying: “This is a very positive result. It illustrates that anti-Semitism is unacceptable and will have consequences.”
“There is no doubt that Adidas was doing the right thing by cutting ties with Mr. Ye following his vicious anti-Semitic remarks,” he said, noting that thousands of people sent emails, celebrities spoke, well-known brands Sever ties with the artist, condemning Ye’s comments as part of a campaign.
“Adidas’ actions send a powerful message that anti-Semitism and bigotry have no place in society,” Greenblatt said.
Morgan Song contributed.