Kanye West, now Ye, has managed to turn controversies into headlines and ideas into billion-dollar ventures. For someone who has built a global brand with so much hype surrounding it, some of his most shocking moves were not always about creativity. One of his most aggressive plays was with the corporate giants. 

Behind the scenes, there were legal battles brewing, creative clashes escalating, and power plays unfolding. It was not just a battle over shoes or contracts- it was one man rewriting the rules of personal branding in real time.

They called it the deal of the decade, with Ye bringing royalties three times higher than that of Michael Jordan. Yeezy sneakers were golden, selling for up to $3,000 apiece, and solely helped Adidas' stock surge by 150%. Yeezy was no longer a brand; it was a phenomenon that had Adidas basking in its glow.  But the backlash soon came and hit harder than anyone had anticipated. 

In one day, Adidas incurred a staggering loss of $1.3 billion. Here is what happened to the partnership that was set to revolutionize the sneaker world, with all the unexpected twists that led to a $60 billion company crumbling.

Nigerian Singer Tems Gushes About Ye, All the While Admiring His Yeezy Vision

In 2013, Ye walked into Adidas' headquarters with a statement that raised eyebrows: "Nike treats celebrity collaborators like mascots. I want to build an empire." Many considered the move bold, perhaps even foolish but there was substance behind his words. Adidas saw the possibility of a new kind of rebranding that would reshape the future. 

Unlike Nike, which was about athlete endorsements, Ye was talking about ownership, royalties, and creating something entirely his own. Ye, was on a mission to change the game. And Adidas, looking to challenge the dominance of Nike, was ready to take a risk.

Ye's deal was a game-changer. He was not looking for a partnership; he wanted creative control, royalties, and a marketing stake. When Nike declined, Adidas came in, offering him an unheard-of 15% royalty on sales, far more than the 5% Nike gave Michael Jordan. This was a game-changer. Adidas bet big on Ye, hoping he might be able to restore some cool factor to their brand, which had been absent since the '80s. And Ye did not disappoint!

The first drop of Yeezy sold out in 10 minutes, crashing websites and spiking resale prices to more than $3,000 per pair. People were lining up for days and Adidas' stock rose 7%. What started as a sneaker collaboration quickly became a cultural movement in the fashion and sneaker industries.

By 2021, Yeezy was no longer just a shoe— it was a culture. It was the real deal, crashing websites in seconds with bots and flipping shoes for 10 times their retail price. Even the designs that people called "ugly" became the holy grail. Adidas was no longer just cashing in; it was thriving. Yeezy yielded 50 percent of all online sales since its launch and driven stocks up to 300% since the year 2015. And then came October 2022, and everything changed. 

Ye appeared on InfoWars spewing anti-Semitic views. The world was stunned, but Adidas—whose empire had grown with Yeezy at its core—was silent. With $1.3 billion in Yeezy inventory at stake and stock plummeting, the company had to tread carefully. Their silence could not be forever as the public outcry grew. The hashtag #BoycottAdidas began trending, protests began, employees resigned, and finally, on October 25th 2022, Adidas split with Kanye. But the story did not end there.

Ye was not done yet; In 2024, after his controversial fallout with major companies, he went full throttle with a DIY marketing strategy that got people talking. A low-budget Super Bowl ad was filmed in his car. No fancy editing or production, just Ye speaking to the camera with a very simple message: "Check out Yeezy.com" which gave a return of $19 million in sales. He also dropped the YZY PODS. Socks-shoes hybrid at $20 of which he moved 260,000 pairs. The Yeezy website was overwhelmed by the demand and had to halt new sales. 

Even without the major brands backing him, he proved his influence to be unstoppable. His brand has become a force that no controversy nor failed partnerships could bury, which is clear following how Kanye West hinted at a possible fresh Yeezy collaboration despite no signs of 'Vultures' earlier this year. The saga of Ye is the perfect example of how a personal brand can create empires, and tear them apart all in a matter of minutes.

Yeezy Season Approaching? Ye Sets Up a Blast With This Iconic Video on Instagram Feed

Got a pair of Yeezys? —are they worth the hype or a total miss? Let us know in the comments below!