S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West recently delved into his new partnership with mega sneaker retailer ADIDAS and why he is more humble than upset about his Air Yeezy Nike run coming to an unexpected end.
Kanye compared ADIDAS’ belief in him to former Roc-A-Fella Records co-owner Damon “Dame” Dash offering him a record contract in the early 2000’s.
“Man, it just feels good to be able to create more, create product that I can control the pricing on, that I can do quality control on and I feel very comfortable to have a great partner backing my ideas and allowing me to think and be creative and giving me that shot the same way how Dame gave me a record deal ten years ago, gave me a shot and I was able to do something creative with it. This is a new opportunity for me, I feel like I got a new family, fiancée, child and a new creative outlet and as a creative person, you need those creative outlets.” (“Tall Boy”)
Mr. West also ceased the moment to promise there is no ill will toward Nike.
“I’m still going to do music but I really feel honored to, you know, to have had a chance to blow Yeezy up with Nike and I really appreciate everything they did for me. And I’m not knocking them on the way out. I apologize for my frustration earlier and I just think it’s time. It’s go time. It’s turn up time and I just wanted ot give y’all this interview right quick.” (“Tall Boy”)
A few days ago, ADIDAS issued a statement on adding Kanye to its team.
“For 2014, we welcome to the adidas family one of the most influential cultural icons of this generation, Kanye West. Well known for breaking boundaries across music, film and design and partnering with our history in street wear culture and leading innovations in sport, we look forward to creating a new chapter. Details to follow.” (Statement)
Kanye recently suggested he was penalized by Nike for being so successful with his Air Yeezy sneakers.
“This is an analogy, so this is nothing. 50 is my brother, Game is my brother, but I just want to use this as an analogy because I want to put this into rap terms so you can understand what happened and why I was frustrated. So say 50 signs Game and gives him the opportunity to do a demo. Just one song or something. He does that song and everybody likes that song better than any song 50 had done over the past ten years, since 50 made the Jordans. And 50 saw that and was like, ‘Huh, I don’t know about that.’ But then people, everybody’s pressuring him, ‘Let him do it again.’ So he lets him do one more song and that’s even bigger. So 50’s like, ‘I don’t even know that.’ Then Game is like, ‘Can I do more?’ They’re like, ‘I don’t know.’ And 50 is just sending people to Game to just talk to him. He won’t even talk to him himself. Said, ‘Can I do more?’ He won’t even get on the phone with him. This man made the biggest song and it’s for G-Unit. 50 won’t even talk to him. So that’s what I’m talking about when I say Mark Parker.” (V-103)
Check out Kanye West’s interview:
