The New York TimesThe New York Times

Kanye West's offensive behavior makes corporate partners squirm

By Ben Sisario, Vanessa Friedman, Jessica Testa and Ellen Barry

25 Oct 2022 · 10 min read

Editor's Note

Adidas in particular is coming under fire as their partnership with Ye is "under review" in spite of his antisemitic comments. It is possible ties will be cut later today.

Kanye West had already been burning bridges in the music industry. He was disinvited from performing at the Grammy Awards last spring after erratic behavior. He withdrew from headlining this year’s Coachella festival just over a week before it began. His last album was released not on streaming services, but exclusively on a proprietary $200 speaker device.

This month West, who now goes by Ye, came under fire for making a series of antisemitic remarks and wearing a shirt with a slogan associated with white supremacists, putting some of his fashion-related businesses — which appear to be more lucrative these days than his musical ventures — in jeopardy.

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