Adidas has reached an out-of-court legal settlement with Kanye West, ending two years of acrimony that played out publicly.
The sporting brand severed its lucrative Yeezy partnership with the rapper in 2022, saying it did not tolerate “antisemitism” after the artist was suspended from some social media platforms over offensive posts.
What followed was a lengthy dispute between both parties over a string of issues, including what to do with the multi-million pounds worth of Yeezy trainers left in the warehouses.
But now both sides have agreed to a settlement, finalising one of the most high-profile fashion and entertainment splits in recent years.
Adidas announced the agreement, stressing that no money changed hands in the deal.
Its chief executive Bjørn Gulden said: “There aren’t any more open issues, and there is no money going either way.
“There were tensions on many issues... both parties said we don’t need to fight any more and withdrew all the claims.”
Adidas parted ways with West, who now goes as Ye and shares four children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian, following his comments, including a post on Twitter (now X) where he threatened to go “def con 3” on Jewish people.
The brand called his remarks “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous,” stating they violated company principles of diversity, inclusion, and respect.
The split reportedly cost both parties millions in revenue, ending what had been a highly profitable partnership.
Mr Gulden later praised West’s creative influence, describing him as “one of the most creative people in the world” and noting that Adidas’s decision to part ways was “very sad".
The termination left Adidas with over £1 billion in unsold Yeezy stock, which the company opted to sell off in limited releases, pledging a portion of proceeds to anti-hate groups.
Its first sale raised around $437 million (£336.2 million), with donations directed to organisations such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change.
West’s partnership with Adidas accounted for $1.5 billion of his net worth, but his billionaire status was stripped following the split.
Beyond Adidas, West’s remarks had other consequences, resulting in social media bans, lost brand partnerships, and severed ties with major talent agency CAA. His appearance on the controversial right-wing conspiracy blog Infowars, where he voiced support for Hitler, drew additional criticism.
In the meantime, West is said to be on the verge of another split. He and wife Bianca Censori are reportedly heading for divorce just two years after their marriage. The 47-year-old rapper secretly wed the 29-year-old Yeezy architect in 2022, shortly after his marriage to Kardashian officially ended.
The pair have been seen out and about together recently, but insiders say these were for “make or break” talks , telling TMZ earlier this month that West and Censori have informed their close circle that they split a few weeks ago.
The father-of-four, recently spotted in Japan alone, is said to have told friends about his plans to divorce Censori and move to Tokyo permanently.
