In a new Rolling Stone report, a Yeezy worker claimed that they were fired by Ye after suggesting playing Drake. Numerous sources said that they accepted positions believing they had landed a dream job; however, they quickly found themselves in a “cult-like atmosphere” that came with 12- to 15-hour work days, inconsistent or delayed payments, and abrupt firings for innocuous missteps.
One Adidas x Yeezy senior team member said, “Nothing has ever compared to the amount of chaos, the amount of stress and the amount of anxiety you go through working for Yeezy.”
One ex-staffer described a 2015 incident at the Yeezy studio, just a few weeks before Ye would unveil the brand’s inaugural collection. The source claimed West had a habit of playing his own music in the space, but asked for other recommendations after someone suggested he play something else. Ye allegedly scanned the room before singling out an employee and asking what they wanted to hear.
The ex staffer suggested Drake, saying, “I thought, ‘Oh, he’s a rapper, I should probably mention some rap.' Big mistake—the next day I was fired.”
A Yeezy executive also recalled a time when a top creative was called out for wearing a yellow sweater to work. The staffer was allegedly told to “dress for the palette or you dress in black,” and was fired. Another claimed they were forced to leave their own product review because they were wearing a gray tee.
One employee said that the constant firings may stem from Ye's mistrust, particularly toward his inner circle. The employee said, “Everyone’s always on the verge of losing their job, so the dynamics are total chaos. He doesn’t necessarily have people that he can trust around him.”
Another contractor added, “The biggest issue is that he doesn’t appear to have high-level operational people that he trusts. Without the operational backbone, no company can really exist for a super long time. You can’t build a multi-billion-dollar brand without an operations director who stays in the job for more than six months. … He needs professionals that don’t give a sh*t that he’s Kanye West.”
ADIDAS PLANS TO STILL USE YEEZY DESIGNS AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR
Meanwhile, in other news, Adidas has revealed that they will continue to sell Yeezy sneakers and apparel line, but it will be stripped of the Yeezy name and branding.
