Brands Are Starting to Distance Themselves From Kanye West
Photo Credit: Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
CAA, MRC, Balenciaga, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and more have severed ties with Ye after his controversial comments this month.
Ye is in the cold after a number of brands and companies have severed ties with the Donda 2 artist. On Monday (October 24), Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and MRC Entertainment announced that they have dropped the artist formerly known as Kanye West as a client, citing his recent anti-semitic comments. MRC studio executives Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu and Scott Tenley also shared a memo explaining that a completed documentary on Ye has been shelved.
“This morning, after discussion with our filmmakers and distribution partners, we made the decision not to proceed with any distribution for our recently completed documentary about Kanye West. We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform,” the trio wrote. “Kanye is a producer and sampler of music. Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3,000 years — the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain.”
They added, “The silence from leaders and corporations when it comes to Kanye or antisemitism in general is dismaying but not surprising. What is new and sad, is the fear Jews have about speaking out in their own defense.”
The announcement follows Balenciaga ending their relationship with Ye last week, explaining that the company no longer has “any plans for future projects related to this artist.” Earlier this month, Adidas placed their partnership with Ye “under peer review,” after the Yeezy founder accused the sportswear brand of plagiarizing his ideas. Although Adidas has not made a finite decision, Ye’s lawyers recently sent a termination letter to Gap, demanding to end their planned 10-year partnership.
Last Friday (October 21), Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour gave a statement to Page Six explaining that she has “no intention” to continue her working relationship with Ye.
Ye might have prepared for the fallout. In September, he told Bloomberg that he was prepared to “go alone” in cutting ties with Gap and Adidas.
“No one should be held in that position where people can steal from them and say, ‘we’re just paying you to shut up’,” he said.
Also last Friday, Ye shrugged off his ended partnership with Balenciaga. “I ain’t losing no money,” he told TMZ. “The day I was taken off the Balenciaga site, that was one of the most freeing days.”
About Author
