Kanye West and Adidas quietly end their two-year-long battle
On October 29, Bjørn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, revealed that a personal agreement had been reached with Kanye West outside of court. He stated, “There are no unresolved issues, and no money has been exchanged between either party. Kanye and we are now moving forward on our own separate paths.”
“Adidas and Kanye went through a period of tension with numerous demands from each side. However, in the end, both parties agreed that fighting was unnecessary and decided to withdraw all claims,” he added.
This agreement confirms that there are no outstanding debts or obligations between Kanye West and Adidas, officially ending the two-year legal dispute.
In October 2022, following Kanye’s controversial interactions and comments about Jewish people, along with wearing a t-shirt with “White Lives Matter,” Adidas ended its collaboration with him amidst public backlash.
Kanye West had been a major source of revenue for Adidas, with his Yeezy line reportedly accounting for nearly half of the company’s profits. As a result, after ending their partnership, Adidas was left with a large stockpile of Yeezy shoes, valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
This split affected not only Adidas but Kanye West as well, as his collaboration with Adidas contributed $1.5 billion to his net worth. With the end of their business relationship, Kanye also lost his billionaire status in the rap industry.
Since then, both parties have filed multiple lawsuits against each other. In February, West announced that Adidas was suing him two years after terminating their partnership. The rapper said, “Let me make it clear what’s going on with Adidas. Not only did they release unapproved colorways, but they are also suing me for $250 million.”
West accused the German sportswear company of not paying for shoes they produced under his name. Additionally, he claimed Adidas was using contract terms and 50 years of business experience to “oppress a beloved artist in broad daylight.”
