Kanye West suffered a massive fall from grace with the collapse of his many businesses, which cost him around $1.6 billion after he made some remarks considered to be anti-Semitic and against the Jews on social media posts and podcasts. Another thing he said about them was that he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people“.
Known for his often controversial stance on things and ramblings that have often been linked to mental health issues, the rapper has been distanced from many big businesses. They include Nike, Balenciaga, and Gap. Here is a look at all Kanye said and what happened to him afterward.
What Happened to Kanye West?
Kanye West lost many sponsorship and business deals after he had a fallout, which was a result of his views on the Jews. His anti-Semitic views, which were things he held for a long time, often making threatening remarks against them, made many brands distance themselves from him in October 2022.
Before his fall, Kanye had a net worth that was estimated at an incredible $2.5 billion in 2022, making him the richest rapper in the world. However, as soon as he was involved in the controversy, Ye’s fortune dropped by more than $2 billion in a single day. Today, he has a net worth that is estimated at $410 million.
Among the brands that dropped him and the deals he lost included Adidas which alone cost him a quarter of a billion, Gap, Balenciaga, JP Morgan Chase, MRC, CAA, Foot Locker, Christie’s, Madame Tussauds London, The RealReal, as well as TJ Maxx, Home Goods and Marshalls.
Apart from all these, the rapper also lost several legal representations, including with the firm that represented him during his divorce proceeding, Cohen Clair Lans Greifer Thorpe and Rottenstreich. Others who prefer not to associate with him legally are Camille Vasquez and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, all of whom have worked with him briefly before he got into the controversy.
What Did Kanye Say About Jewish People?
Kanye West said many things against Jews, including threatening violence against them. The controversial rapper made many remarks on social media, during an interview with the likewise controversial Alex Jones, and at different other times.
One thing Kanye said was the disparaging claims, stating thus; “I just think that’s what they’re about, is making money.” He made the statement with reference to Jared Kushner, a Jew, who was alleged by the rapper to have negotiated the Abraham Accords with the sole aim of profiting from it.
In a separate tweet, he threatened Jews that he was “going death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE.” He went further in the tweet which was since deleted, to deny the identity of the Jews by claiming that blacks were also actual Jews so no one could accuse him of being anti-Semitic.
One more thing that Kanye West said that drew the ire of many was his praise for Adolf Hitler during an interview with Alex Jones. He stated that he believed “every human being has value that they brought to the table, especially Adolf Hitler.” One more thing he did was to deny the Holocaust.
Ye also took a swipe at rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs who tried to interfere when he introduced the White Lives Matter” shirt to his clothing line during the Paris Fashion Week. He accused Diddy of being controlled, adding that to him, it was war. He stated thus: “This ain’t a game. Imma use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me.
What Did Kanye West Say About Adidas?
After his sad fallout with Adidas due to what Kanye West did, the rapper went after Adidas, claiming that the company stole his designs. According to Ye, in a post on Instagram, it was going to cost Adidas billions to keep him and it was also going to cost the brand billions to let him go.
Having previously claimed that the brand created shoes that were similar to what he had with his Yeezy release, the rapper noted that his designs were stolen by Adidas and he was only giving the company a few days.
Did Adidas Drop Kanye?
Yes, Adidas dropped Kanye West after his rants against Jews which caused so much criticism. While Adidas was not one of the earliest partners to drop Kanye, it was one of the biggest drops which impacted his numbers significantly.
In its statement, Adidas made it known that it was against hate speech and antisemitism and so it was ending its relationship with West. This came weeks after he started making anti-Semitic speeches.
The statement added that the comments and actions of the rapper were unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous and that they also violated the values of Adidas including diversity and inclusion as well as mutual respect and fairness.
Adidas immediately cut off all ties with the rapper, stating that it was stopping the production of Yeezy’s branded products and it was no longer making any payments to Ye and his company. This marked an end to a partnership that lasted from 2016 and had made both Kanye and Adidas so much money.
Initially, Adidas took West to court, claiming that it had $75 million held by Kanye West’s Yeezy brand, and it wanted the money to be frozen. But, the brand later dropped the case in May 2023, deciding to continue with the Adidas-Yeezy collaboration.
In September 2023, Adidas executive, Bjørn Gulden stated that he was not sure Kanye meant all he said in his many divisive rants. He opined that the rapper and entrepreneur who praised Adolf Hitler and the Nazis wasn’t a bad person
Where is Kanye West Now?
Kanye West is still in the United States and although time has fixed some of the damages he has done with all the things he said across platforms against Jews and the Jewish nation, there are still many who still keep him at arm’s length.
As stated, Kanye’s net worth dropped by over $2 billion since he began his rants, and his speeches were considered to be inappropriate in the least. The 46 year-old is now estimated to have a fortune in excess of $410 million. More interesting is the belief that he will soon see his fortune going higher since he has mended fences with Adidas, although it may not get back to where it was any time soon.
While almost everyone had abandoned him when the issues began and his marriage to Kim Kardashian was officially dissolved at the time, he is now married to an Australian architect. The duo got married on December 20, 2022, and are now living together and happy.
