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Kanye West performed at the Vultures 2 listening party in Hainan, China, on September 15, 2024. During the performance, his ongoing feud with Adidas was highlighted. When Ye paused to take a sip of water, the crowd started chanting "F**k Adidas," and the Runaway rapper responded by raising his hand and showing his middle finger.
In Chinese culture, as in Western culture, showing the middle finger is considered an offensive gesture that signifies disrespect. As per The Chairman's Bao, the middle finger is one of the most offensive hand gestures in Chinese culture.
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After the audience cheered for Ye following his gesture, the rapper remarked, "I hope that was okay," probably referring to China's stern obscenity laws. He then continued performing with All Falls Down.
The feud between Kanye West and Adidas: Details explored
Dubbed as one of the most generous deals offered to a non-athlete by The New York Times, Adidas signed a partnership with Kanye West in 2013. While the collaboration initially went well, Ye expressed his frustration with Adidas in February 2024 when he announced the end of his collaboration with Adidas, citing a lack of creative control.
According to The New York Times, Adidas cut ties with Ye in November 2022 owing to multiple inflammatory and antisemitic remarks made by the rapper. The publication alleged that the athletic apparel brand has tolerated Kanye's issues for a decade.
The publication stated that Ye displayed unreliable behavior, made s*xually offensive and antisemitic comments, and frequently made demands. However, the rapper's misconduct was tolerated by the brand owing to the profits he brought in.
As per Medium, Adidas faced the challenge of filling in for Kanye West's Yeezy vertical, which accounted for almost 8% of the athletic apparel brand's total revenue in 2023. Hence, the brand began to fill in for Ye's absence by collaborating with other prominent designers and artists.
In addition to Adidas, the American Jewish Committee showcased disappointment toward Kanye West's antisemitic remarks, which the rapper justified in a now-deleted tweet on October 8, 2022, apparently threatening the community by stating:
"I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE. The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also[.] You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone whoever opposes your agenda[.]"
However, on October 24, 2022, Kanye West apologized to the Jewish community in an interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast. Apologizing for hurting the community as "a Jewish person," and mentioned:
"I'm sorry for the way that made you feel. And I'm sorry for the entire population of a race that I feel is actually my brothers."
The recent instance in China is not the first time Kanye West has voiced his discontent with Adidas. In August 2024, at the Vultures 2 experience in South Korea, the Heartless rapper began a "F**k Adidas" chant, followed by the crowd repeating it after him.
