NFL
By: Zachary Draves
The poignant spectacle of seeing Kanye West continue to dig himself into a dark abbess remains a never ending saga. Once a cutting edge artist with a unique blend of passion, presence, and persona has over the last few years become a tool for forces of bigotry and belligerent ignorance.
The laundry list of his words and actions are eternal from saying that slavery was a “choice” to donning a “White Lives Matter” shirt to claiming that George Floyd died from a fentanyl overdose as opposed to Officer Derek Chauvan’s knee being on his neck for almost nine minutes. The latter of which landed him into a $250 million lawsuit filed by the Floyd family. Then there was his stalking of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and making death threats against her one time boyfriend comedian Pete Davidson in his music video for his song “Eazy”. Finally, there is his blatant anti-Semitism.
(Courtesy: Robin Marchant/Getty Images)
In recent weeks, Kanye has said he would go “death con 3 on Jewish people” which got him suspended from Instagram and Twitter. He then said that Sean “Diddy” Combs was “controlled by Jewish people”. Then over the weekend, a small group of anti-Semintes were seen holding signs over a Los Angeles Freeway that said “Kanye West was right about the Jews.”
It was his outright hostility towards the Jewish community that has led to a surge in calls for him to be dropped by sponsors. So far the talent agency the Creative Arts Agency (CAA), fashion line Balenciaga, the GAP that carried his Yeezy clothing line, and JP Morgan Chase have kicked him to the curb. But before any of them sprang into action it was LeBron James’ production company Uninterrupted that was the domino effect.
On October 11, ESPN’s Andscape published an exclusive by writer and Around the Horn panelist Justin Tinsley stating that SpringHill Company CEO Maverick Carter decided to not air a recent episode of Uninterrupted’s show The Shop featuring Kanye.
In a published statement to Andscape and the Hollywood Reporter Carter said:
“Yesterday we taped an episode of ‘The Shop’ with Kanye West. Kanye was booked weeks ago and, after talking to Kanye directly the day before we taped, I believed he was capable of a respectful discussion and he was ready to address all his recent comments. Unfortunately, he used ‘The Shop’ to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes. “
“We have made the decision not to air this episode or any of Kanye’s remarks. While ‘The Shop’ embraces thoughtful discourse and differing opinions, we have zero tolerance for hate speech of any kind and will never allow our channels to be used to promote hate. I take full responsibility for believing Kanye wanted a different conversation and apologize to our guests and crew. Hate speech should never have an audience.”
In the episode, which also featured rapper and former Kanye collaborator Jeezy and shoe designer Salehe Bembury, sources close to the production team said Kanye apparently escalated his anti-Semitism thus paving the way for the decision to not air the episode.
Now there have been calls on Kanye’s long time sponsor Adidas to severe ties. Since 2013, Adidas has been carrying the Yeezy line, which has generated nearly $2 billion a year in revenue. So far Adidas hasn’t said anything other than their partnership with Kanye is “under review”.
(Courtesy: Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images)
At a time when Corporate America is being pressured by activists to say and do more when it comes to issues of social justice and calling out bigotry, the fact that Adidas is at least for now turning a blind eye speaks volumes. Specifically when acts of anti-Semitism are on the rise at home and abroad, they are seemingly putting profit over principle.
Severing a partnership is not cancel culture, it is consequence culture. Everyone including Kanye has the right to speak but that doesn’t come without accountability. The old adage is that with great power comes great responsibility and if that is to remain the case then it should be the case that Adidas and others who have established business relations with Kanye send a clear message that says hate has no home here.
The Shop led off and the others need to clean up.
