Top talent agency in the entertainment world, Ari Emanuel, is urging companies to cease working with Kanye West, also known as Ye, due to his antisemitic social media posts.
In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, urged fashion and entertainment firms that have partnered with Ye on fashion lines and other ventures to “speak up and take action” against the musician.
Ye was banned from Twitter and Instagram for threatening “death by three strikes” against Jewish people.
Several corporations have severed connections with Ye and his Yeezy clothing line. Friday, Balenciaga said that it will no longer collaborate with West, according to Women’s Wear Daily.
A Balenciaga representative told Women’s Wear Daily, “Balenciaga no longer has any contact or plans for future projects with this artist.”
This Thursday, the Anti-Defamation League demanded that Adidas terminate its commercial partnership with Ye. The advocacy group stated that it is “surprised and worried that Adidas, a company that advocates inclusiveness and diversity, continues to sponsor the Ye product line and create new products while he continues to spout antisemitic hatred.”
Adidas referred to its 2016 agreement with Kanye West as “the most significant cooperation between an athletic brand and a nonathlete.”
West decided to cancel his shoe and clothing collaboration with Gap last month because, according to his attorney, Gap had not satisfied its contractual duties.
“Misdirected hatred”
Emanuel, for his part, voiced alarm over the message that corporations’ continuous commercial relationships with Ye send to his extensive fan following.
“West is not just any individual; he is a global pop culture icon with millions of devotees. Among them are young people whose perspectives are still forming “Emanuel penned. He also accused Ye’s business associates of “providing an audience for his misplaced hatred.”
“There should be zero tolerance for antisemitism in the West. This is a time in history where the stakes are high and where it is necessary to be upfront about our values and live by them. Silence and passivity are not options “Emanuel added.
Ye acquired the right-leaning social network Parler after being suspended from Instagram and Twitter.
“In a world where conservative viewpoints are considered controversial, we must ensure that we have the right to express ourselves freely,” Ye stated in a statement released this week following the acquisition’s announcement.