Hanging by a thread.
Kanye West’s already fragile partnership with Adidas is now officially “under review” following the rapper’s latest “White Lives Matter” shirt scandal.
“After repeated attempts to resolve the situation privately, we have made the decision to review the partnership,” the company said in a statement to CNBC on Thursday.
“During this period, we will continue to co-manage the current product.”
West, 45, responded to the statement on Instagram, writing: “F–K ADIDAS I AM RAPE ADIDAS ADIDAS AND STOLE MY DESIGNS.”
The fashion designer first teamed up with Adidas in 2013 to let them handle the production and distribution of his Yeezy brand.
The deal was set to last until 2026, but West began expressing his frustrations with the company last August.
He claimed in a direct message on Instagram to Complex magazine that Adidas “picked colors and named them”, “hired people who [him],” “stable [his] colorways [and] styles” and hired a general manager without his permission.
The “All of the Lights” rapper also claimed that the company had delayed production of its Yeezy Gap partnership with Balenciaga.
Adidas did not respond to West’s allegations at the time.
However, it seems the company is being forced to address the issues they face with the “Gold Digger” rapper as his future in fashion hangs in the balance.
West has been publicly criticized by many – including Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson and supermodel Gigi Hadid – for wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt to his runway show on Monday.
The clothing was seen as a mockery of Black Lives Matter, a movement designed to highlight discrimination, racism and police brutality against black people.
However, West has doubled down despite the backlash, writing on his Instagram stories on Tuesday: “Everyone knows Black Lives Matter was a scam, now that it’s over, you’re welcome.”
However, Adidas wouldn’t be the first fashion company to cut ties with the “All Falls Down” rapper. Gap confirmed in September that they were saying goodbye to West that their “vision” was “not aligned”.