Kanye West’s recent comments suggesting 400 years of black slavery “sounds like a choice” have led to a petition demanding Adidas cut ties with him.

West has partnered with the sportswear brand since 2015 on the Adidas+Yeezy range. Now a petition asking Adidas “to rethink their lucrative deal with West after his jaw-dropping outburst”, has been launched by Care2.  

“While Kanye can live safely in his multi-million dollar castle, the rest of black America is continually marginalised and subject to unjust laws and treatment. Some even die because this behaviour is so ingrained in our society,” the petition reads.

“Kanye West has a right to free speech, and he has the right to spout lies and misinformation and misplaced opinions ― but we as consumers have the right to fight back against this type of dangerous propaganda.”

[Update:  Adidas Is Standing By Kanye West Despite Petition Over Slavery Comments]

West made the controversial comment about slavery during an interview with TMZ. “When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?! That sounds like a choice,” he said. “You was there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally in prison.

“I like the word ‘prison’ because ‘slavery’ goes too direct to the idea of blacks. Slavery is to blacks as the Holocaust is to Jews.

“Prison is something that unites as one race, blacks and whites, that we’re the human race.”