(Photo by Randy Brooke/Getty Images)
Fresh off the news that Biglaw firm Brown Rudnick will not be representing Kanye West in his “business interests,” another massive firm has announced they’ll no longer be working with the rap star. As reported by Bloomberg Law, Cadwalader has also announced they’re parting ways with Ye.
Litigation partner Nicholas Gravante represented Ye last month, as part of the rapper’s efforts to end his contract with Gap. Now the firm is distancing itself from the star.
“We are not presently providing any representation and have no intention of providing any future representation,” a Cadwalader spokesman said via email Wednesday.
This comes following a barrage of media appearances and social media posts that espoused problematic views. He launched antisemitic attacks on social media that got him booted from Twitter. He spread vicious, unfounded rumors that it wasn’t former police officer Derek Chauvin that caused George Floyd’s death but rather fentanyl — and as a result is facing a $250 million lawsuit. He wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt to his Yeezy fashion show.
And Cadwalader and Brown Rudnick aren’t the only companies to distance themselves from Ye. He’s lost deals with Balenciaga and Adidas. He was dropped by Creative Artists Agency, and film and television studio MRC announced they were ditching a completed documentary on West.
Besides the obvious moral stance in distancing these brands from Kanye West, it’s clear antisemitism and the other hateful things Ye has done recently are just bad for business.
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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).