Kanye West has released a new 30-minute documentary, Last Week, which includes footage of a disturbing meeting with Adidas. Ye can be seen shoving a phone displaying a pornographic video in an executive’s face in an apparent attempt to intimidate the man.
West has had an apparel partnership with Adidas since 2016, though their relationship has deteriorated as West has publicly criticized the CEO and drawn criticism for wearing “White Lives Matter” clothes. In the new footage, West smiles as the pornography plays. “He’s got the same voice, doesn’t he?” Ye says, pointing to the executive.
“Is this a porn movie?” the man asks. West moves the camera closer to his face. “He’s got a northern European accent,” the exec objects, noting that their voices don’t sound very similar. West motions for him to look at the screen. He says, “Come on, man,” and tries to push the phone away.
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There are several cuts in the video. West points to one blurred-out face and says, “I’m only going to work at Adidas if he’s the CEO,” and the statement is met with silence. After another edit, West says, “You guys have done wrong by the company, by the business, and by the partnership. The whole concept of this video is that the guy had cheated. So then the girl is like, ‘Well, I’m going to do the thing that’s your worst nightmare.’ This is your worst nightmare,” he says, again pointing to his pick for CEO.
One of West’s associates chimes in: “What you’re feeling right now is extreme discomfort, and that is exactly the point. Because when someone steals this man’s ideas, his creations, it’s like you’re stealing a child. These are all children of his mind, and you’ve kidnapped them.”
It’s unclear if this footage was recorded before or after Adidas’ announcement on October 6th that, “After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review.”
Elsewhere in Last Week, West previews new music, including the lyrics, “You a fake bitch/You don’t really love Ye, go listen to Drake, bitch/You don’t have no idea what it take, bitch/Go listen to Lil Baby, go listen to Future, bitch.” At another point, he visits a prospective location for a Donda Academy, his controversial Christian prep school with mandatory prayers and non-disclosure agreements.
Last Week does not address Ye’s recent vile antisemitic outbursts, and the release may be an attempt to change the narrative, perhaps as an example of Trump advisor Steve Bannon’s strategy to “flood the zone with shit.” Like Trump, Elon Musk, and other billionaires who try to influence public policy amid a steady stream of incendiary comments, staying informed on West requires patience, a long memory, and, perhaps, a large bottle of extra-strength pain killers.
Check out Last Week below. The Adidas meeting with the pornographic video begins around the 10:25 mark.