According to a letter from former associates of the rapper’s brand, Yeezy, the environment at the company was “toxic”, especially for women
THE Rolling stone had access to a letter sent to the managers of the adidasmade by former collaborators of the Kanye West and also by people who have worked with the artist in his partnership with the German brand, which ended in October after the rapper’s anti-Semitic speeches. According to the publication, collaborators said the work environment was “chaotic” and “toxic,” Ye viewed “hardcore” pornography during work hours, and some even involved his ex-wife. Kim Kardashian🇧🇷
In one of the episodes, which allegedly happened in 2017, a woman asked to change the sector within Adidas after meeting Kanye. According to the letter, other people in senior management positions in the company were aware of the artist’s behavior, including a vice president.
“At that time, West started yelling that the Yeezys weren’t quite up to his standards yet, so he walked up to a senior employee, looked at his foot, looked at her, and said, ‘I want you to make me a shoe that I can wear. f*ck'”.
The letter claims that over the years, West used intimidation tactics with staff that were provocative, often sexualized, and directed at women. The star would also show explicit sex videos during meetings, intimate photos of ex-wife Kim Kardashian in job interviews and even her own “sex tapes” of her.
At another point, two other Adidas design team members allege that Ye displayed pornographic videos, including recordings of him engaging in sexual activity. On another occasion, the singer sat a young designer on the floor during a meeting that lasted hours.
“You don’t deserve to sit at the table,” said another person, who reiterated that the star has been playing “mind games” with the team.
🇧🇷Steve Jobs or Elon Musk they were accountable to the shareholders. Kanye owns his trademarks 100%, he can do what he wants and we’re just there to serve him.”
Another former employee also said he was warned by Adidas executives about showing pornography during meetings and that intimate videos were shown at least five times during a meeting.
“He’d be in a meeting and he’d be talking to you while he’s playing porn on his laptop. And he’d be like, ‘I know this is uncomfortable, but I need this in the background to keep me focused,'” she said. .
Toxic environment for women
The publication shows that the letter still addresses the artist’s behavior with women, who, according to former employees, the overall environment was “toxic and chaotic” and had “an unhealthy pattern of predatory behavior towards women.”
“The most concerning behavior that should have been reported by the executive team early in the partnership is their manipulative and fear-based approach as they seek to assert dominance over Adidas employees in locked rooms,” the filing said.
According to those involved, Adidas bosses were aware of Kanye’s behavior but “turned off his moral compass.” In the letter, the team says they could have intervened in the problematic situation a long time ago, having a contract in place since 2013.
“There was no accountability. Bad times would happen, with executives in the room — VP level or above — and nothing was done. You still had to report to work the next day,” another person said.
“In recent years, he has blasted the women in the room with hurtful comments and resorted to sexually disturbing references when providing design feedback. This type of response from a brand partner is something Adidas employees shouldn’t address. never be subjected”. the company’s management will never tolerate it”, continues the text.
The authors still accuse Adidas of lack of responsibility and of having been “great facilitators” of the behavior that the singer had with people.
Adidas response
According to the team, Adidas executives made it clear that employees could leave if they felt uncomfortable.
“You don’t have to stay, but imagine if Kanye is talking and you just get up and leave. It’s not like he’s a pro — he’d probably call you right away,” she said.
With the publication made by the American magazine, Adidas representatives released a statement, saying they are providing support to employees.
“Adidas does not tolerate hate speech and abusive behavior and has therefore ended our partnership with Adidas Yeezy. We have been in active discussions with our employees about the events leading up to our decision to end our partnership. They have the our full support.support and, as we work through the details of the termination, we make it clear that we want to keep the talent and skills of our employees across the organisation,” the statement read.
In the statement, the brand also said it will not comment further on what led to the end of the partnership:
“The company will not discuss any private conversations, details or events leading up to our decision to end our partnership with Adidas Yeezy and declines to comment on any related speculation.”
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Source: Terra
Amanda Larkin is a celebrity journalist at Gossipify, known for her in-depth interviews and unique perspectives on the entertainment industry. She covers celebrity news and gossip, providing readers with engaging and informative content, and understanding of the inner workings of the industry. She’s respected for keeping readers up to date with the latest trends and providing a fresh perspective on the celebrity world.
