Adidas Opens Investigation Into Kanye West Misconduct Allegations

Adidas is opening an investigation into allegations that the model purposefully ignored misconduct claims made towards former collaborator Kanye West.

“It’s at present not clear whether or not the accusations made in an nameless letter are true,” the model wrote in a Friday, November 25, assertion to Us Weekly. “Nevertheless, we take these allegations very severely and have taken the choice to launch an unbiased investigation of the matter instantly to deal with the allegations.”

Rolling Stone reported earlier this month that members of the athletic model’s board had ignored claims that West, 45, had been verbally abusive towards workers. Within the journal’s exposé, a number of former Yeezy workers penned an open letter to Adidas, accusing West of bullying, repeatedly enjoying porn and sharing specific photos — together with snaps of ex-wife Kim Kardashian — throughout enterprise conferences. The “Well-known” rapper has but to publicly handle the allegations.

“It was very revealing and private. I didn’t actually react,” one former staffer anonymously advised Rolling Stone within the article. One other added: “He’s like, ‘What do you consider it?’ Not laughing in any respect.”

The “Stronger” rapper inked a partnership with Adidas in 2013 to promote merchandise from his Yeezy clothes line, together with his well-liked sneakers. The footwear model introduced final month that that they had severed their model deal in gentle of West’s antisemitism controversy.

“Adidas doesn’t tolerate antisemitism and another form of hate speech,” Adidas mentioned in an October 25 assertion. “Ye’s current feedback and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and harmful, they usually violate the corporate’s values of range and inclusion, mutual respect and equity.”

The assertion concluded: “After a radical assessment, the corporate has taken the choice to terminate the partnership with Ye instantly, finish manufacturing of Yeezy branded merchandise and cease all funds to Ye and his firms. Adidas will cease the Adidas Yeezy enterprise with rapid impact.”

West made headlines earlier in October after he shared a number of antisemitic messages on Instagram and Twitter, posting conspiracy theories and revealing that he wished to go “demise con 3” on Jewish individuals.

“I’ll say I’m sorry for the folks that I harm with the ‘demise con’ 0,” West later apologized throughout an October 19 look on Piers Morgan Uncensored. “I really feel like I precipitated harm and confusion. And I’m sorry for the households of the folks that had nothing to do with the trauma that I had been via, and that I used my platform the place you say harm individuals harm individuals. I used to be harm.”

Whereas the Yeezy designer has continued to defend his actions, he’s misplaced million-dollar model offers. Balenciaga, Hole, Vogue journal and CAA (Artistic Arts Company) have all reduce ties with the rapper, along with Adidas. Instagram and Twitter additionally each briefly banned his accounts a number of occasions, although Elon Musk — who lately bought Twitter — has since reactivated West’s account.

In October, shortly earlier than Adidas introduced the tip of their longtime partnership, the corporate famous that they had been reviewing the collaboration. West, for his half, was publicly upset concerning the information.

“F–Okay ADIDAS. ADIDAS RAPED AND STOLE MY DESIGNS,” the Grammy Award winner claimed in a since-deleted Instagram submit on the time.