Adidas has officially settled its dispute with Kanye West, ending a legal battle that began in 2022 following the rapper’s antisemitic comments that led the sportswear giant to discontinue their popular “Yeezy” collaboration.
The company announced the settlement on Tuesday, stating that all outstanding issues between the two parties have been resolved.
“There aren’t any more open issues, and there is no money going either way,” Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden said during a conference call about the company’s latest financial results.
“There were tensions on many issues, but both parties agreed we don’t need to fight anymore,” he added, noting that the drama with West “belongs to the past.”
The conflict with West left Adidas with around €1.2 billion (£840 million) in Yeezy inventory, which the company has since begun selling in batches.
Proceeds from these sales are being directed to various non-governmental organizations, including Adidas’s own anti-discrimination foundation. The company plans to sell off the remaining Yeezy products by the end of 2024.
Adidas’s decision to end the partnership in 2022 came in the wake of widespread backlash over West’s antisemitic remarks.
At the time, Adidas condemned the comments as “unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous,” stating they were in clear violation of the company’s values of diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect.
The termination marked a sudden end to a collaboration that began in 2014 and had grown into a billion-dollar brand.
Despite the controversy, demand for Yeezy products has remained high, with some items continuing to fetch premium prices in the resale market. The company’s remaining Yeezy stock is expected to sell out by year’s end, bringing a close to the troubled partnership.
The high-profile dispute adds to a series of challenges for West, whose social media accounts were suspended last year after he made multiple offensive statements. His comments drew global condemnation, further straining his public image and professional partnerships.
With the settlement finalized, Adidas is turning its focus back to business, closing the chapter on a partnership that once defined a generation of streetwear but ultimately became mired in controversy.
