Adidas still profiting from Kanye West deal; rapper making tens of millions

Adidas is selling antisemitic rapper Kanye West’s Yeezy shoes once again, though Germany sportswear company claims some of the proceeds will be donated to charities combating antisemitism.

By World Israel News Staff

Sportswear company Adidas recently announced the launch of a new collection of Yeezy sneakers designed by rapper Kanye West, which comes almost a year after the company announced they would no longer work with the entertainer.

In October 2022, Adidas cut ties with West following his repeated antisemitic public statements. But despite terminating their partnership with the rapper and entrepreneur, Adidas is continuing to sell shoes that West designed.

According to NBC News, Adidas has struggled to resolve the issue of some $1 billion in inventory that they had ordered prior to the rapper’s statements.

Adidas had considered destroying or donating the shoes, but ultimately decided to sell the products with a “significant amount” of the profits being “turned over to organizations that combat discrimination and hate,” the German company said in a statement.

Among the organizations expected to receive funding from the sales of the shoes are the Anti-Defamation League and Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.

Adidas has not revealed exactly how much of the proceeds will be donated, nor has it been transparent regarding the percentage of sales the company will keep for itself.

The Yeezy sneakers are one of Adidas’ best-selling products of all time, with the shoes often being sold out online and in stores within hours of becoming available. The popularity of the Yeezy shoes fostered an active resale market, in which hawkers sold the sneakers for double or even triple their retail price.

Initially, Adidas temporarily pulled the shoes from its website and stores, following West’s comments. But after several months, the company decided to quietly relist Yeezy products on their websites and return the shoes to retail locations’ shelves

According to fashion news website Hype Bae, West has scored at least $85 million since Adidas began restocking the products.