Kanye is no longer essential, according to Apple.
Kanye West‘s music has been silenced with Apple Music removing the rapper’s Essentials Playlist.
In what has been a remarkable few days – that has seen West’s net worth plummet from billions to a reported $400m – the Adidas deal seems to have set in motion the fall of the final dominos in the Donda rapper’s empire – West’s music.
Apple, MailOnline reports, also appears to be severing ties with the rapper, now known as Ye, following his antisemitic rants.
Spotify, however, are yet to move on West, with its CEO, Daniel Ek, telling Reuters earlier this week that despite the 45-year-old making “awful” comments, he has not violated the platform’s anti-hate policies.
Apple Music’s main rival said it would be down to Kanye’s label, Universal Music Group’s Def Jam, to pull his catalogue.
Ek said: “It’s really just his music, and his music doesn’t violate our policy. It’s up to his label if they want to take action or not.”
Def Jam’s partnership with Ye’s GOOD Music label ended in 2021, Universal Music Group has said.
On Wednesday, a day after Adidas dropped West, he turned up at Skechers LA office “unannounced and without invitation” and was escorted from the premises.
In a statement, the company said two Skechers executives “escorted him and his party from the building after a brief conversation”.
Skechers made clear in its statement that the company “is not considering and has no intention of working with West”.
“We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech. The Company would like to again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited to Skechers corporate offices,” the statement concluded.
On Tuesday, Foot Locker and Gap said they would immediately remove products from Ye’s Yeezy line from their stores, saying they do not tolerate antisemitism.
In a statement, GAP said: “Anti-Semitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values. ‘On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organisations that combat hate and discrimination.”
Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) also now dropped Ye, and Johnny Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez ditched him as a client.
Last week, the French multinational corporation specialising in luxury goods, Kering, officially announced that Balenciaga had split ways with Ye stating, “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist.”
Madame Tussauds has also removed Ye’s wax-work from public view.
Adidas terminated its deal with Ye “with immediate effect” saying the company does not “tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech”.
It said Ye’s recent actions had been “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous”.
Related links.
- Adidas terminates deal with Kanye West
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