Entertainment

Investors Sue Adidas In US For Axing Kanye West

Published

3 years ago

May 4, 2023

Investors in Adidas have filed a lawsuit against the company at a US court over its cancelled partnership with Kanye West, saying it should have been aware he courted controversy.

The class-action lawsuit seen by AFP was submitted Friday in US District Court in Oregon, where the German sportswear giant’s US headquarters is located, and argues executives failed to control damage linked to the tie-up.

Adidas halted its deal with the rapper — now known formally as Ye — in October after he made a series of anti-Semitic outbursts.

As a result, the group ended production of the highly successful Yeezy line designed together with West.

The US lawsuit represents people who bought Adidas shares between May 3, 2018 and February 21, 2023.

It argues that for years before the partnership ended, the rapper “began to accrue controversy as a result of his various statements on topics such as slavery, racial issues, and politics”.

In 2018, for example, West suggested that slavery had been a “choice” for enslaved people, the lawsuit said.

Adidas dismissed the allegations in the litigation.

“We firmly reject these unfounded claims and will take all necessary steps to vehemently defend ourselves against them,” a company spokesman, Stefan Pursche, said in a statement emailed to AFP.

The artist was associated with rival sportswear company Nike for years but broke away in 2013, lending his name to Adidas as they launched their first Yeezy shoe in 2015 — a partnership that went on to make him a billionaire.

The company began a review of its relationship with West after he appeared at a Paris fashion show last October wearing a shirt emblazoned with “White Lives Matter”, a slogan created as a backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Days later he was locked out of Twitter and Instagram over anti-Semitic threats.

Adidas said in March it was now weighing what to do with its huge inventory of West’s Yeezy products, as potentially not selling the apparel and shoes linked to West would lead to a revenue loss of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion).

That would lower the company’s operating profit by an additional 500 million euros in 2023, the company said.

Adidas will release its first-quarter results on Friday.

Related Topics:Adidas Kanye West US investors

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Entertainment

Why I Stopped Attending Church Service – Funke Akindele

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Famous Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele, has opened up on why she lost interest in attending church service.

The actress who made the revelation in a Snapchat video on Sunday, stated that she stopped going to church because attention often shifted to her rather than the service.

While explaining that she’s always the one they take pictures of, the actress said she now joins church service online.

Akindele said “Anytime I go to church, I am always the one they take pictures of. So I will join online.”

Recall that in 2022, Akindele openly identified herself with the Celestial Church of Christ.

“Every time I have challenges I go to the Celestial church quietly at night for solutions. But I have to stop hiding and publicly identify with the church”, she said.

Entertainment

‘My Mum Started Quoting Bible’ — Shank Sparks Debate After Tattoo Confession

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Popular Nigerian content creator, Shank has stirred reactions online after opening up about a personal clash with his mother over tattoos, while also revealing a fresh body ink linked to his “Lit Gang” identity.

The revelation surfaced in a recent viral video shared on his social platforms, where he recounted the moment he tattooed his mother’s name, “Oluremi,” on his arm.

According to him, what he expected to be an emotional moment quickly turned tense.

“The day I tattooed my mum’s name on my arm, she started crying and quoting Bible,” Shank said.

He explained that his mother strongly opposed the act, citing religious reasons and warning him against marking his body.

“She told me, ‘did I ask you to draw my name? I don’t like it. Don’t do tattoo again. God said don’t mark your body,’” he recalled.

Shank, however, said he challenged her stance by pointing out what he described as a contradiction.

“I asked her, if you say I should leave my body the way God created it, why do you shave your hair? You that shave hair and me that draw tattoo, we are committing the same sin,” he added.

The content creator used the moment to advise young people navigating similar situations with parents, stressing the importance of independence when making personal decisions.

“Just make sure you’re independent before doing what your parents are not comfortable with,” he said.

Amid the conversation, Shank also unveiled a new tattoo on his back with the inscription “Lit Gang,” a move that has further fueled reactions among fans.

While some social media users backed his arguement on personal choice and self-expression, others sided with his mother, citing cultural and religious concerns about body markings.

The development has continued to generate debate online, highlighting the growing tension between traditional beliefs and modern youth culture in Nigeria’s entertainment space.

Entertainment

Drama As Eniola Badmus Challenges Funke Akindele To Celebrity Boxing Fight

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Popular Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus, has challenged Funke Akindele to a celebrity boxing fight.

This came a few hours after Nigerian streamer, Carter Efe defeated Portable in a celebrity boxing match.

Carter Efe defeated Portable on Friday to win the N50 million prize.

Following Carter’s victory, E-Money, a Lagos-based socialist gifted him N50 to celebrate his win.

Prior to the match, popular talent manager, and music executive, Soso Soberekon, gave N40 million to Carter Efe and Portable each.

However, speaking in a now viral post on her Instagram page, Eniola Badmus challenged Funke Akindele to a boxing fight and called on E-Money and Soso Soberekon to sponsor the match.

She wrote “Funke Akindele, let’s get on the boxing ring. It’s about time. Soso, E-Money, let’s get to it. No time. Money has to be made.”