Kanye West and Adidas come to an agreement over legal dispute

Kanye West and Adidas have officially settled their legal battle, which stemmed from the sportswear giant's decision to terminate its lucrative partnership with the rapper.

This partnership, which had an annual value of 220 million dollars and a total worth of around 1.5 billion dollars, came to an abrupt end in October 2022 due to West's repeated anti-Semitic remarks, including a notorious social media post.

"I would go death-con 3 on Jewish people," West posted online.

On Tuesday, Adidas announced that they had reached an out-of-court settlement, clarifying that no money changed hands in the agreement. Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden made clear the company's position.

"There aren't any more open issues, and there is no... money going either way, and we both move on," Gulden declared.

He elaborated that both parties assessed their claims and ultimately decided to withdraw them.

The termination of the partnership had severe financial implications for West, resulting in the loss of his billionaire status. Adidas projected a negative impact of approximately 250 million euros on its net income for the year following the split.

The unraveling of a high-profile collaboration

West's relationship with Adidas began in 2013 after he left Nike, and it was initially expected to last for a decade.

The Yeezy brand quickly rose to prominence, with Adidas paying West an annual royalty for the line. However, as tensions escalated, West accused Adidas executives of stealing his creative ideas.

The situation reached a boiling point in February 2024 when West criticized Adidas for launching new Yeezy products without his consent.

He labeled these items as "fake" and claimed that the company was exploiting his brand. In a passionate Instagram video, West accused Adidas of "raping" his artistic vision.

"They're suing me for 250 million dollars... using contract clauses and 50 years of business experience to exploit an artist," West stated.

He also urged fans not to purchase the unauthorized releases.

In response to the growing backlash, Adidas took steps to distance itself from West's controversial comments.

The company made donations to organizations fighting anti-Semitism, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change.

Additionally, products sold directly by Adidas included blue square pins, symbolizing solidarity against anti-Semitism through the Robert Kraft Foundation.

With this settlement, Adidas and West can finally close a turbulent chapter in their history, moving forward separately after a partnership that once appeared promising but ultimately unraveled under the weight of controversy.