Adidas’ statement that it will sell Yeezy designs without Yeezy branding should be music to Kanye West’s ears, but according to sources, he won’t receive a dime.
According to sources with direct knowledge of the agreement Ye inked with Adidas, the rapper/designer would receive a discounted fee if Adidas sells his creations without his branding.
When Adidas severed connections with Ye last month over his alleged antisemitic and bigoted statements, the company stated it would not pay him a dime from that day forward. Obviously, this was before to Adidas’s revelation on Wednesday that it will release some of Ye’s sneakers in 2023… but without the Yeezy branding.
When questioned if the German shoe company intended to honour Ye’s reduced cost, a spokeswoman stated that Ye will receive nothing… nothing.
Now, there is most likely a morals provision in the contract as well, and Adidas could easily claim that Ye’s hate speech was a breach that rendered their agreement null and void. Adidas provides no additional explanation, so we must interpret the tea leaves.
Regardless of the circumstance, if Ye desires reimbursement for the renamed shoe sales, he will need to notify a judge.
