Sunday May 28, 2023
Nike Raises Red Flags About Kanye West With Adidas; however, she ignored the warning and continued her partnership with the controversial rapper.
The shocking revelation was revealed by a Bloomberg report as the polarizing rap star collaborated with Nike on his Air Yeezy, which launched in 2009.
But eventually, Ye had a falling out with the brand.
At the time, the fashion mogul claimed the multibillion-dollar company denied him royalties because he wasn't a professional athlete.
However, the four-year collaboration has been a success for Nike, as the last $245 sneaker with Ye's partner reportedly sold out in eleven minutes in 2014.
Meanwhile, Adidas launched a partnership in the West in 2013 and their first sneakers hit shelves in 2015.
The deal boosted the company's sales and secured a larger market share for the brand, which faced stiff competition from rivals Nike and Reebok.
But the 45-year-old's problematic behavior raised concerns among the brand's employees.
However, the company's reliance on the Grammy winner's line of sneakers forced executives to condone his actions, the report revealed.
Additionally, several reports suggested that the head of Adidas was complicit in downplaying, or at worst, ignoring West's erratic behavior.
As the Rolling Stone report details former Yeezy members' accusations against the brand, they were updated on Kanye West's "problematic behavior" but still "turned off their moral compass."
While The Wall Street Journal threw the final blow, the news spilled the beans on Adidas, who were already thinking about the risks of working with the Grammy winner in 2018.
