Kanye West’s career and life are unraveling before our eyes, as he continues to spew hate speech and antisemitism in a public meltdown the rapper and fashion mogul might never recover from. Among other missteps, West had his recent appearance on The Shop scrapped over what host Maverick Carter (LeBron James’ longtime business manager) described as “dangerous” misinformation. That came on the heels of a similarly erratic interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, which was ultimately edited before it aired on Fox News. West, whose headlining set at Coachella this spring was canceled in the wake of disturbing social media posts threatening comedian Pete Davidson (who was dating his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, at the time), defiantly challenged Adidas to drop him, which the sports apparel empire finally did Tuesday, severing ties with West amid plummeting stock prices and public pressure from outspoken voices like former NBA All-Star Detlef Schrempf.
By ending its partnership with West, Adidas will take a net income loss of nearly a quarter-billion dollars according to sports business insider Darren Rovell. Hours before the Adidas news broke, West’s representation, Hollywood talent agency CAA, officially dropped him as a client, continuing the trend we’ve seen of brands and corporate entities scrambling to distance themselves from a troubled artist in the midst of a breakdown. It’s a difficult subject to broach as mental-health sufferers deserve our compassion, though that’s no excuse for West’s shameful bigotry and intolerance, using hurtful language to espouse misguided views on everything from race to George Floyd’s murder, which the Grammy-winner attributed not to being suffocated by police officer Derek Chauvin, but fentanyl intoxication.
As West burns every last bridge on his way to destroying what remains of his legacy, both as a tastemaker and entertainer, Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown remains committed to his agency Donda Sports, which counts Brown and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald among its highest profile clients.
“He’s someone who’s obviously dealing with a lot of adversity,” Brown expressed to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “I don’t agree with everything that everybody does. Like I said, I don’t stand for any hurt, harm or danger toward anybody, but sometimes people need unconditional love and help to get them through the situation.”
Brown’s response was largely panned, with many interpreting the 26-year-old’s unwavering support as a sign of tacit approval, complicit in West’s disgusting brand of ignorance.
Though loyalty is an admirable trait, Brown, in this instance, will be seen by many as guilty by association, standing in defense of a pariah who lost the benefit of the doubt about a dozen controversies ago.
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