Rapper and fashion mogul Ye West, formerly known as Kanye, is undeniably one of the most influential celebrities of the 21st century. His career took off quickly with celebrity collaborations, such as Jay-Z and Rihanna. Despite his success, West has always had a controversial image. In late October 2022, several companies cut ties with West due to his antisemitic remarks and West lost his title as a billionaire. 

On Oct. 10, Instagram and Twitter banned West following a series of online posts threatening Jewish people. After his accounts were restricted, West received his Instagram account back on Oct. 27 but has still faced multiple restrictions since. 

Soon after his hateful antisemitic comments on various platforms and his open support of white supremacist slogan clothing, big-name brands like Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga dropped their connections to West as well. 

“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” Balenciaga said. 

Additionally, Adidas ended their partnership, which was worth almost $246 million of West’s net worth. West lost his billionaire status, going from a net worth of $1.9 billion to $400 million. 

Ari Emanuel, CEO of entertainment agency Endeavor, wrote an op-ed slamming West for his antisemitic comments. In the article, Emanuel encouraged other companies to cut ties with West. West responded to Emanuel on Instagram. 

“Ari Emanuel, I lost 2 billion dollars in one day and I’m still alive,” West said. “This is a love speech. I still love you. God still loves you. Their money is not who I am. The people is who I am.”

Aside from the companies that have cut West from their image, West’s private school, Donda Academy, suddenly shut down on Oct. 27 with West claiming that the school would reopen in 2023. With no further details about the school’s status, many assumed it was due to West’s antisemitic remarks. Additionally, Donda’s basketball team was restricted from participating in several major basketball tournaments, such as the Hoophall Classic and the Play-by-Play Classic. 

A total of 17 brands have separated themselves from West; however, he has still yet to take back any of his statements. Kanye West has a background of mental illnesses, suffering from bipolar disorder, which can result in manic episodes. Fans assumed that this could be the reason for his actions, and encouraged him to receive treatment for his visible mental problems. Since the fallout, West has been off the radar and has yet to release any official statements. However, his music career may not be over, as West recently posted an Instagram post containing a snippet of a new song he was working on. Only time can tell whether West will rise from the ashes and reenter the spotlight.