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Tim BontempsESPN
Boston Celtics striker Jaylyn Brown And the Los Angeles Rams defensively Aaron Donald Both announced Tuesday night that they are leaving Donda Sports, the agency founded by the artist formerly known as Kanye West, due to anti-Semitic comments he made recently.
The announcements came hours after Adidas ended their relationship with the rapper now known as Ye.
Brown’s decision came a day after he was informed Boston Globe He will remain with Donda Sports despite the fact that he has not condoned Ye’s comments.
“In the past 24 hours, I have been able to reflect on and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my position against recent insensitive public statements and actions,” Brown said Tuesday in a statement released via Twitter. “Therefore, I apologise. And in this, I endeavor to be as clear as possible. I have always, and always will, stand strong against any anti-Semitism, hate speech, misrepresentation, and repressive rhetoric of any kind.”
“In light of this, after participating in conversations, I now realize that there are times when my voice and my position cannot coexist in spaces that do not align with my position or my values. For this reason, I am terminating my association with Donda Sports.”
Donald announced around the same time that his family would be leaving Donda Sports, saying Ye’s comments “are the opposite of how we choose to live our lives and raise our children.”
“As parents and members of the community, we felt a responsibility to send a clear message that hateful words and actions have consequences and that we must do better as human beings,” Donald wrote in his statement via Twitter. “We don’t feel that our beliefs, our voices and our actions belong anywhere near a space that distorts and oppresses people of any background, race or ethnicity. We have had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful people along the way and hope to continue using our platform to uplift and support families, children and other communities through positive communication.
Brown and Donald signed with Donda Sports in May.
Earlier on Tuesday, Adidas announced that it was officially severing ties with Ye, who has developed a highly lucrative clothing and apparel partnership with the company.
“Adidas does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other type of hate speech,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday. “Yi’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous, and violate the company’s values of diversity, inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
As part of its statement, Adidas said it will lose approximately $250 million this year in net income as a result of the split from its partnership with Ye, but this was necessary in the wake of anti-Semitic comments he made in recent weeks.
Yi has made controversial statements in the past on a variety of issues, including slavery and COVID-19 vaccines. Earlier this month, Yi posted on Twitter that he would soon be going to “Death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” an apparent reference to the US Defense Readiness Status Measure known as DEFCON. It was suspended from Twitter and Instagram.
His recent string of anti-Semitic comments has caused many companies to cut ties with the rapper or his various lines of business. Creative Artists Agency, Balenciaga, Gap and Foot Locker among others have ended their partnerships with him.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.