Ye Clashes with Nike Amid Kim Kardashian’s New Alliance with Company

In a strikingly timed rant on Tuesday, February 18, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) accused Nike of design theft, coinciding with Kim Kardashian‘s new partnership with the athletic brand.

The mogul took to social media to suggest that his unique, minimalist sneaker aesthetics had been replicated by the sports giant. In his latest Instagram post, Ye took a sarcastic swipe at critics while showcasing images of the forthcoming GT Future sneaker from his brand. “THIS NEW NIKE DESIGN REALLY MOVED US / REALLY INSPIRED US AT YEEZY WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS WORK TO THE TEAM TEAM BEHIND THESE THANK FOR MAKING SOMETHING NEW AND SPECIAL, LOVE YE,” he said. Nike, having teamed up with Ye for the Nike Air Yeezy line in the late 2000s and early 2010s, has not issued a response.

It’s likely not by chance that the timing of the post aligned with Kim Kardashian unveiling a major partnership between her SKIMS brand and Nike. The shapewear mogul revealed the collaboration on Instagram, stating, “Introducing NikeSKIMS. A new brand coming this spring for the body obsessed. Designed to sculpt and engineered to perform.” Per a press statement, NikeSKIMS aims to “disrupt the global fitness and activewear industry with best-in-class innovation in service of all women athletes.” Kardashian subtly endorsed her ex-husband’s former business associates by sharing an ostensibly AI-crafted image of her Nike staff badge.

From Partnership to Public Feud: Ye’s Ongoing Clash with Adidas

Ye, once entwined with Adidas in a highly profitable collaboration, has frequently been the German sportswear giant’s most vocal critic on social platforms.

After their fallout in 2022, sparked by the rapper’s antisemitic remarks, he started the year by targeting his ex-Yeezy collaborators. He took to Instagram, saying, “When you google Yeezy.com the adidas site comes before the Yeezy site. Members at adidas Stop doing this. Stop doing your moves to hold me back.” “Our partnership is done. You’re a 60 billion dollar company that froze my accounts. Now I’m back on my feet (no pun intended) and I’m not going to stand for this (no pun again).”

He added, “I did phenomenal work for you guys and because I stood up for myself yall tried to intimidate and oppress me everyone remembers I had major issues with adidas because of design theft and oppression before ‘the tweet.’” “It’s Yeezy over everything Everyone that ever took a picture next to me that had their own clothing lines and agendas everyone knows they was acting like they were my friends to promote they weak ass fake Yeezy lines.”