Kanye West ends Yeezy collaboration with Gap

Kanye West has left the building.

The rapper has formally informed Gap that he is ending his partnership with Yeezy Gap, The Wall Street Journal reports.

In a letter sent to the retail giant on Thursday (and obtained by the publication), West’s legal team alleges that Gap failed to keep its promises to release certain styles and open special Yeezy Gap stores as planned, causing them to “have no choice but to end their partnership.”

The clothing company “was required to sell 40% of its Yeezy Gap range in brick-and-mortar stores in the third and fourth quarters of 2021” and declined to do so, the letter claims.

West announced his 10-year deal with Gap in 2020 and the first item, a “perfect” hoodie for $90, went on sale in 2021, but was only available online. In fact, the only Yeezy Gap styles sold in brick-and-mortar stores are from West’s recent Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga capsule collection.

The letter claims that Gap has agreed “to open as many as five stores dedicated to showcasing Yeezy Gap products by July 31, 2023,” and no such stores have yet opened.

Fans looking to get their hands on the goods needn’t panic just yet — according to The Journal, Gap may continue to sell what’s already been released, although many of the Yeezy Gap and Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collections have already sold out.

Before sending the letter, West often voiced his grievances on social media; in a since-deleted Instagram video earlier this month, he threatened to walk away from his work with Gap.

When West’s Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga clothing was finally presented in Gap stores in July, fans were outraged that they were piled up in garbage bags.

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West later defended himself and the store concept on Fox News.

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“This is Sparta. This is not celebrity marketing. This is not a collaboration. This is a life mission,” the star said during the six-minute clip.

“This is our football team,” Ye added, comparing himself to Tom Brady. “You really have to put me in the position to be Ye and do what I think… or I’ll stop.”

Despite finally reaching Gap stores in July, Ye’s line has been criticized by shoppers; his collection was sold out of garbage bags on the sales floor, sparking outrage. West later appeared on Fox News to defend the decision, calling himself an “innovator.”

“I’m not here to sit up and apologize for my ideas. That’s exactly what the media is trying to do: apologize to us for any idea that doesn’t exactly fall under the way they want us to think,” he said at the time.

Gap’s PR did not respond to Vidak For Congress Style’s request for comment.