The famous clothing brand Adidas was under increasing pressure on Monday, in a hurry to end its collaboration with controversial rapper Kanye West, who has multiplied anti-Semitic outings in recent weeks.
Human rights defenders have denounced the silence of the German company in the face of comments by the rapper, now officially known as Ye, who was increasingly isolated from the companies and brands he worked with.
“Your silence is a danger to Jews,” tweeted Adidas Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, an NGO fighting anti-Semitism.
“We cannot allow Ye’s anti-Semitism to normalize — we must all demand that Adidas condemn his racist rhetoric by re-evaluating their partnership. »
The German company indicated in early October that it would reconsider its relationship with Kanye West, without giving a reason. He had appeared a few days earlier wearing a t-shirt crossed out with the slogan “White Lives Matter” during a fashion show in Paris.
This slogan, used by the American far right, diverts the name of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, which campaigns against generalized racism against African-Americans.
A few days after this episode, Ye was suspended from Twitter after tweeting that he was going to attack Jews in a post since deleted by the social network for breaking its rules. He was also suspended from Instagram.
A banner was hung above a busy Los Angeles freeway over the weekend that read “Kanye is right about the Jews” and “Sound your horn if you agree.”
Its authors were photographed performing the Nazi salute.
” Hate “
On Monday, the CAA agency representing Kanye West, one of the most important in Hollywood, said it was ending the partnership.
The production company MRC has for its part announced to cancel a documentary already finished on the rapper.
“We cannot support any content that expands its audience,” the company said, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
Other show business personalities, including Ari Emanuel, the president of another California agency, Endeavor, called on all companies to cut ties with the rapper.
“Those who continue to do business with Kanye West are giving his misguided hatred an audience,” Ari Emanuel wrote in the FinancialTimes. “There should be zero tolerance anywhere for Kanye West’s anti-Semitism. »
Last week, fashion house Balenciaga also ended its collaboration with the singer.
“Hate speech is never acceptable or excusable,” his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, wrote on Twitter and Instagram on Monday, without mentioning the name of the father of her children.
“I stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and demand that the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric against them end immediately,” she continued.
Bipolar
Adidas did not respond to AFP’s requests on Monday.
“After repeated efforts to resolve the situation privately, we have made the decision to review our partnership,” Adidas, whose founders were Nazi Party members, said in a statement in early October.
The 45-year-old rapper had accused Adidas of organizing marketing events without his approval related to the collection of Yeezy sneakers, designed by the rapper and developed with the German equipment manufacturer since 2014 – a successful partnership that made him a billionaire .
Along with Beyoncé, Stella McCartney and Pharrell Williams, Kanye West is one of the celebrities with whom Adidas has partnered to delight its clientele in the lifestyle segment and more generally boost its sales, particularly online.
Adidas did not mention recent controversies in its statement, but said its collaboration with the rapper was “one of the most successful in the history of our industry” and was “rooted in mutual respect. and shared values”.
Kanye West, who says he has bipolar disorder, was previously banned from Instagram posts for 24 hours in March amid his acrimonious divorce from Kim Kardashian.