Adidas’ top executive doesn’t consider Kanye West “meant what he said” about Jews, adding that the rapper who goes by the name “Ye” is “probably the most creative people on the earth” and isn’t a “bad person.”
Bjørn Gulden, the 58-year-old CEO of the German-based apparel giant, lamented that it was “very unlucky” that the multinational brand was forced to chop ties with Ye and discontinue their Yeezy partnership within the wake of his antisemitic comments last 12 months.
“Very unlucky, because I don’t think he meant what he said, and I don’t think he’s a nasty person. It just got here across that way,” Gulden told the “In Good Company” podcast last week.
“That meant we lost that business, probably the most successful collabs within the history…very sad,” Gulden said of the fallout of Ye’s comments.
Gulden’s remarks were reported by CNN.
The Post has sought comment from Adidas.
![Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden weighed in on Kanye West's antisemitic remarks during a recent podcast interview.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/NYPICHPDPICT000042494221.jpg?w=1024)
![](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/NYPICHPDPICT000011085033.jpg?w=759)
Gulden, a former top executive at rival sportswear brand Puma, was elevated to CEO just weeks after Adidas parted ways with Ye.
He took control following the earlier-than-expected departure in November of his predecessor, Kasper Rorsted, attributable to shareholder dissatisfaction with declining profits and sagging earnings.
Adidas saw its balance sheet impacted by the Ye controversy, steep drops in sales in China in addition to its winding down of business in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
Ye, the rapper, designer, and entrepreneur who at the height of his powers claimed to be value greater than $3 billion, was dumped by Adidas after a series of bizarre incidents and statements last 12 months.
In September, the Anti-Defamation League condemned Ye for wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt during Paris Fashion Week.
Weeks later, Instagram and X, formerly generally known as Twitter, took motion against Ye’s accounts on those platforms after he suggested that Sean “Diddy” Combs was being controlled by Jews and that he would go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.”
![Gulden (seen above on May 11) lamented the end of Adidas' partnership with Ye.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/NYPICHPDPICT000010934248.jpg?w=1024)
On Oct. 15, Ye claimed in a podcast interview that George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose. He also lashed out at “Jewish media” and “Jewish Zionists” for forcing the cancellation of his shows.
One week later, the style brand Balenciaga announced it was cutting ties with Ye.
In late October, Adidas, which for weeks had come under relenting pressure to sever its business relationship with Ye, announced that it could discontinue the lucrative Yeezy line, which had generated tons of of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for the corporate.
The lack of the Adidas deal is claimed to shaved around $1.5 billion off of Ye’s net value.
![Ye appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars podcast last December and declared:](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/NYPICHPDPICT000003404043.jpg?w=1024)
In December, Ye appeared on podcaster Alex Jones’ show, during which he declared: “I see good things about Hitler.”
That very same month, Elon Musk, who weeks earlier acquired X, announced that Ye would have his account suspended.
Musk made the move in response to a tweet from Ye which showed a swastika inside a Star of David.
Ye couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.