Kanye West Ye24 Prez Gear, Yeezy Shoes Hold Strong ... Despite Hitler, Nazi Praise
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Kanye West has unveiled his bigoted views to the world, yet there's still a market for Ye24 merch as he noodles on another run for president.
A quick search on eBay and Amazon reveals dozens of listings, with everything from shirts and hoodies to hats and flip-flops ... all with either Kanye's imagery or his Ye24 slogan. It's unclear exactly who's selling the stuff ... whether it's Kanye or 3rd parties. Pricing ranges from $20-30 for hats, up to $50 for hoodies and flip-flops, plus shipping.
While we've yet to see any designs of Kanye with a swastika or anything Hitler-adjacent, some merch includes Ye holding a cross, and another where he's standing next to Iron Man.
As for the resale value of Yeezy shoes, those have remained shockingly unchanged -- despite Kanye's proclamation of loving Hitler and giving props to Nazis.
DECEMBER 2022
Remo from Walk Like Us, a digital marketing company working with resellers, tells us one of the more popular Yeezy designs -- the 2015 Turtle Doves which retailed for $160 -- are still reselling at an average price of $793.
Kanye hasn't announced his candidacy for 2024, but he's strongly hinted it's going to happen. He also recently broke bread with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where he asked 45 to be his running mate, but was shut down.
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Kim, Khloe and Serena Glam Squad Hits Up Art Basel Parties!!!
Kim Kardashian is somehow compartmentalizing what has to be an excruciating time for her -- with Kanye's hateful rants -- because she partied Friday night like she didn't have a care in the world.
Kim, Khloe and Serena Williams went club hopping Friday night in Miami for the kickoff of Art Basel weekend.
They hit up a party where Travis Scott and 50 Cent performed. Khloe was having an especially good time ... 50 was singing right at her. Jonathan “Foodgod” Cheban and restaurateur David Grutman also joined in on the fun.
As for Kim, not a stitch of Balenciaga in sight ... she's traded it in for some pretty awesome duds.
TMZ broke the story ... Kim has turned thumbs down on an offer to be the face of Balenciaga in 2023, and she's made it clear, she's not wearing the brand for now. This is all fallout from the ad campaign with the BDSM stuffed bear.
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Commanders' Brian Robinson Gets 'End Gun Violence' Cleats ... Months After Being Shot
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Brian Robinson knows the perils of gun violence better than almost anyone, and he wants to put a spotlight on the senseless killing ... the Commanders star will rock a sweet pair of custom cleats, with a very important message, this week against the Giants.
The 23-year-old running back, who was shot multiple times in August, copped his new spikes for the NFL's "My Cause, My Cleats" -- an initiative where players bring awareness to organizations and nonprofits during Week 13.
TMZ Sports has learned Robinson reached out to artist Joe Castro to shine a light on the incident where he was shot twice during an attempted robbery.
8/28/22
A 17-year-old boy was arrested for his alleged role in the shooting.
Castro -- whose client list includes NFL stars like Jaire Alexander and DeSean Jackson -- tells us he and Robinson decided to go with a gun control theme.
The tan and orange Nike spikes feature two guns held up in the air with text reading "End Gun Violence".
Castro says it took 2 hours to design ... and he actually made two pairs. One for filming and one for the Commanders-Giants game.
Of course, the rookie RB made his return to the field (and NFL debut) in Week 5 ... and since then, he's scored 2 touchdowns, rushing for over 400 yards.
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Balenciaga We're Ditching $25M Lawsuit ... Donating To Child Protection Orgs Instead
Balenciaga is tossing out its massive suit against a marketing agency that it claimed was to blame for its recent controversial photoshoots ... and instead is doing a 180, focusing on organizations that benefit the protection of kids.
President and CEO Cedric Charbit released a statement Friday on social media ... saying "Balenciaga has decided not to pursue legal action" -- ditching the $25M lawsuit against North Six from earlier this week.
Balenciaga instead seems to be pivoting from attack mode ... saying the company's "current process for content validation has failed" and adding it's going to be starting up an image board -- tasked with evaluating all aspects of content going forward.
The company says it's also working with an agency to better assess its projects, amongst other company-wide changes.
He says the company's put aside a "significant fund" for grants to go to orgs that benefit the protection of children ... ending by apologizing for what went down and adding Balenciaga doesn't tolerate "any kind of violence and hatred message."
As we reported, Balenciaga came under fire for a series of shoots -- one where children held BDSM-themed bears, and another featuring what appeared to be legal docs related to a Supreme Court case dealing with child pornography.
Balenciaga came for North Six, a company that was involved with one of the photoshoots, with the big lawsuit ... but a source connected to the shoot told us North Six wielded no creative power in the project and claimed it wasn't ultimately responsible for any harm to Balenciaga's reputation from the controversy.
What's more, a ton of celebs -- including Bella Hadid and fashion industry honchos reposted messages of support for North Six.
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Kim Kardashian Hits Art Basel Sans Balenciaga ... As Celebs Descend in Miami
Kim Kardashian had a very noticeable sidekick missing as she hit her first night of Art Basel celebrations ... she stepped out without Balenciaga.
Kim was among a slew of celebs -- including Madonna, James Blake, Travis Scott, Rande Gerber, Serena Williams, Khloe Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio -- to hit Miami for the annual art show which brings out huge collectors, stars and billionaires alike.
Of course, Kim's almost always decked out in the most recent Balenciaga gear at major events like this, but it was very clearly missing from her look. Instead, she wore a Vex latex top and vintage pants with Dior sunglasses ... and still looked hot as ever as she left dinner at Gekko with owner David Grutman and Jonathan “Foodgod” Cheban.
TMZ broke the story ... Kim cut any plans to work with Balenciaga in the future after the brand launched a controversial BDSM-inspired ad campaign with kids. Our sources said Balenciaga had offered Kim a campaign for 2023, but she turned it down.
As for Madonna -- she hit the Saint Laurent Art Basel Miami Beach Party -- and Leo was spotted partying on biotech billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli's $150 million superyacht with buddy Tobey Maguire.
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Snoop Dogg Shows Off 3-Gen of His Family ... For Holiday SKIMS Campaign!!!
Snoop Dogg's family has just been crowned SKIMS Holiday family of the year and they picked the perfect way to celebrate: snapping the first-ever pic of the legendary rapper's nuclear household!!!
Snoop, his wife Shante "Boss Lady" Broadus, his kids Corde, Cordell and Cori, their children and his daughter's fiance Wayne Deuce all draped up in matching SKIMS fits … with OG Snoop repping for "Black Panther" while wearing his famous Claw Necklace.
"I feel so blessed that three generations of my family were able to come together for the SKIMS Holiday campaign," Snoop said of the look, highlighting the super soft, comfy outfits.
Snoop and his family have been operating like the hip-hop Huxtables for years. He and his wife have been married for 25 years and hopped on reality TV back in 2007 with two seasons of their E! series "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood."
Issa family affair!!!
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Brittany Aldean Trashing My Balenciaga!!! Amid Photo Scandal
Brittany Aldean is making it clear ... all of her Balenciaga gear is going to the dump in a very expensive protest of the company's child BDSM photo shoot controversy.
Jason Aldean's wife used an IG post Wednesday to state her position on the scandal -- showing herself hauling out 2 garbage bags filled with thousands of dollars worth of Balenciaga. She captioned it ... "It’s trash day @balenciaga."
Performative, for sure, but Brittany's stance is one several celebs are making in the wake of the designer coming under fire for its ad campaign featuring children with stuffed bears in BDSM gear.
One pic also showed legal documents referencing child pornography.
Balenciaga's since pulled the images and placed blame on the marketing agency it hired for the campaign. It also filed a $25 million lawsuit against the agency.
Just like Brittany, rapper/YouTuber Omi In A Hellcat ripped into Balenciaga -- although, he took his protest one step further. Instead of just tossing his stuff, he burned all of it in a backyard firepit ... and cursed anyone who still supports the brand.
As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 28, 2022 @KimKardashian
As we reported, Kim Kardashian first announced she was 're-evaluating' her partnership with the brand, and then pulled the plug altogether.
TMZ broke the story ... she declined an offer from the brand and has since ditched the Balenciaga outfits she was set to wear at upcoming events.
Brittany clearly seconds that motion.
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Roddy Ricch Hate The Balenciaga Scandal ... Everyone Needs More Love!!!
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Roddy Ricch is currently at an impasse with Balenciaga amid its child endangerment scandal … but says the world needs more love overall!!!
TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Roddy as he was posted outside Ice Cube’s podcast, “The Dub-C & CJ Mac Show,” and the Compton rap star tells us he’s torn over canceling the fashion brand ... seeing as it just gave him the full-scale treatment during Paris Fashion Week earlier this year.
Following its ill-advised campaign that featured kids and a teddy bear BDSM theme, Balenciaga's house has been burning for days ... as was rapper Omi in a Hellcat's— thanks to all the Balenciaga gear he torched in his front yard.
Roddy Ricch stops by Ralphs in LA to surprise fans with free groceries 🍽️💯 #FeedThaStreets pic.twitter.com/CxHeO1ccx2
— Wave Check🌊 (@thewavecheckk) November 18, 2022 @thewavecheckk
However, Roddy does offer some advice to former Balenciaga fans looking for some new gear ... suggesting they rock his merch instead.
Roddy's been busy lately, with a new album and a Thanksgiving giveaway when he and his team walked into an L.A. grocery store and bought items for unsuspecting customers.
Interestingly enough, when we talked to him ... he was still wearing the brand's shoes.
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Kim Kardashian Declined New Campaign Offer from Balenciaga Before Breaking Silence on BDSM Controversy
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Kim Kardashian announced she's 're-evaluating' her future with Balenciaga, but it appears she's made up her mind ... declining an offer from the brand, and ditching outfits she was set to wear at upcoming events.
Sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell us the design house presented Kim an offer to do a 2023 Balenciaga campaign before the controversial child BDSM ads went live. We're told once those ads went public, Kim made the decision to reject the offer ... even before releasing a statement on the issue.
Not only that ... our sources say Kim had plans to wear Balenciaga outfits at events she's attending in coming months, but she's pulled the plug and contacted other designers for new options.
Kim took a lot of heat for not immediately denouncing Balenciaga's campaign or announcing she was leaving the brand -- but our sources say she's not even locked into a contract with Balenciaga right now, and isn't directly making money from the company.
As we reported, Balenciaga's campaign using children models holding BDSM teddy bears in a photo shoot -- along with prop legal docs referencing child porn -- pissed off the public.
Kim responded to the controversy Sunday with a statement that said, in part, "As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society -- period."
As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 28, 2022 @KimKardashian
She added ... "As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children."
Clearly, Balenciaga got Kim's message and announced Monday ... "We want to ensure that new controls mark a pivot and will prevent this from happening again. We are laying the groundwork with organizations who specialize in child protection and aims at ending child abuse and exploitation."
Our sources say Kim does not have any plans to work with the brand in the future.
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Kanye West North Wears Star of David on Shirt ... While Shopping with Ye
Kanye West has been spewing antisemitic remarks for weeks, but apparently has no issue plastering the Star of David on his concert merch -- which came to light when he took his daughter shopping.
Kanye picked North West up from school Tuesday -- just hours after TMZ broke the story he and Kim Kardashian had settled in their divorce. Interestingly enough, North's shirt displayed the Star of David with a cross in the middle along with the words Donda and the date 8.5.2021.
The shirt was actually part of the merch collection Kanye released during the "Donda" album listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium more than a year ago.
What's not clear is the intention behind the design of the merch ... many have said the cross inside the Star of David symbolizes Christianity being central to Judaism, while others have said it simply shows a harmony between the two religions.
As we've reported, Kanye's been on an antisemitic tear -- blaming Jewish business and media leaders for his latest demise and wronging him in the past.
On Monday, he stormed out of a podcast interview with Tim Pool after the host pushed Kanye on his rhetoric and said he didn't agree with what he'd been saying.
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Balenciaga Suing Marketing Agency to Shift Blame ... Production Sources Claim
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Balenciaga's looking for a scapegoat after the backlash against its child BDSM-themed campaign, and that's the real reason it's suing a marketing agency for $25 million ... so says a source close to that agency.
Sources connected to the controversial photo shoot tell TMZ ... the agency, North Six, has worked with Balenciaga in the past, but wielded no creative power on this particular photo shoot. Instead, we're told its employees only dealt with logistics like crew, equipment and locations.
More specifically, we're told the company had absolutely nothing to do with the set design for the shoot ... which featured young models posing in a cluttered office with a desk that appeared to have legal docs regarding a Supreme Court case dealing with child pornography.
Our sources also say North Six staffers weren't present at the time of final staging, but we're told the agency did hire a 3rd party set designer, Nicholas Des Jardins. He's also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, but it's unclear if Balenciaga is directly blaming him for placing the child porn document on the desk.
Kim Kardashian Breaks Silence on Balenciaga's BDSM Child Photo Shoot
We've reached out to Nicholas for comment ... so far, no word back.
Another source tells us Balenciaga is just slamming outside parties like North Six as a way to deflect negative attention from letting this happen. Remember, Kim Kardashian -- who's long partnered with the brand -- condemned the design house and demanded it takes action to avoid this kind of scandal in the future.
We're told many believe there's no way a brand as big as Balenciaga wouldn't have seen the photos before approving the campaign.
As we reported, the luxury fashion brand sparked outrage and calls for a boycott after the ads were released ... showing children gripping teddy bears wearing what many saw as S&M gear.
We've also contacted Balenciaga for comment, but no word back yet.
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Omi In A Hellcat Burn Balenciaga, Burn 🔥 Torches Entire Collection in Protest!!!
Rapper/entrepreneur Omi In A Hellcat is taking a stand, a very expensive one ... burning tens of thousands of dollars worth of Balenciaga gear amid its child BDSM photo shoot scandal.
Omi flushed his house of all things Balenciaga on Tuesday, piling up dozens of sneakers and several articles of clothing and torching them ... all while cursing anyone still willing to support the brand, and warning them to stay away from his kids.
The newfound closet space freed up room for his own Omi sneaker brand ... of which he prepared a massive shipment for his customers.
Omi also lashed out at commenters demanding he sell off the luxury goods instead of burning them, reaffirming that he wanted to rid the world of Balenciaga ... permanently.
Many high-profile hip hop artists have remained mum on their beloved fashion house’s scandal … which showed toddlers photographed with stuffed bears wearing apparent BDSM gear, and legal documents referencing child pornography.
Balenciaga has since issued an apology and filed a lawsuit against the marketing agency it claims was wholly responsible for the shoot. We'll see if that helps their case with rappers.
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Model Ivana Knoll Qatar Locals Love My Sexy Dresses ... At World Cup
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Model Ivana Knoll -- known as the "World Cup's Hottest Fan" -- believes Qatar's harsh clothing guidelines have been completely relaxed while hosting the soccer competition ... telling TMZ Sports her attention-grabbing outfits have been a fan favorite with the locals.
Knoll has been sporting her own sexy custom wardrobe at the stadium throughout the opening stages of the tournament ... leaving many to question whether she'd face punishment for showing too much skin.
We spoke with Knoll about her fashion statements at the World Cup ... and she says she meant no disrespect to the Qatari people with her designs. Instead, Knoll feels like everyone should have the decision to wear whatever fits within their own culture.
Qatar sees it completely differently, though ... and the tourism site specifically states men and women visiting the area are "expected to show respect for local culture by avoiding excessively revealing clothing in public."
Taking that into consideration, the businesswoman says she first tested the waters by wearing a long dress with cleavage to Croatia's first match on Nov. 23 ... and after she made it through the whole contest without a hitch, she knew she'd be able to wear a more revealing outfit on Sunday.
Eventually, Knoll -- who has more than 900k Instagram followers -- felt comfortable enough to wear a bikini to the beach ... and despite how popular her posts on social media became, she says she faced zero issues with authorities or the public eye.
"The locals confirmed to me that I can wear whatever I want," Knoll tells us. "But I didn't know that my video in a bikini walking by the sea would be such a big deal. The whole country is speaking about it. Everybody knows me here, and I saw that I was accepted."
Knoll explains she was not worried about any consequences with the country ... adding, "I was never afraid to be arrested to be what I am, and I don't think I can hurt someone wearing a bikini. And if that deserves to be arrested, then arrest me."
Knoll will be in attendance for Croatia's matchup against Belgium on Thursday ... and she says she has another special outfit planned for the big day.
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Commanders' Brian Robinson 'Big Hat' Sales Skyrocket 2,000 Percent Increase!!!
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Washington Commanders star Brian Robinson's big hat resulted in some BIG sales for the company behind the massive lid ... 'cause TMZ Sports is told their business saw a whopping 2,000% increase in orders!!
Robinson's hat quickly went viral after Sunday's 19-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons ... and the running back hilariously told reporters -- "If you want a big hat, let me know."
Brian Robinson said his friend has a “big hat” company. “If you want a big hat, let me know.” pic.twitter.com/KXm3GCJWO1
— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) November 27, 2022 @Sam4TR
Noggin Boss -- the company that sells big hats starting at $75 -- tells us the impact was immediate ... with Monday being one of the biggest days in the brand's history.
As it turns out, NB says a bunch of major television networks hit them up to get Noggins for their on-air talent following Robinson's appearance ... but ESPN's Scott Van Pelt was one of the lucky ones who got one "years ago" -- and he wore it on "SportsCenter" Monday night!!
Here is a video of SVP rockin it pic.twitter.com/J96U7flyqe
— Sean Blazek (@SweatBets) November 29, 2022 @SweatBets
If the look seems familiar, Noggin Boss co-founders Gabe Cooper and Sean Starner appeared on "Shark Tank" earlier this year. The guys were seeking $50k for 25% of the company ... and ended up sealing the deal with Daymond John for 30%!!
Robinson's hat -- customized with the Commanders' logo -- was a gift from a family friend ... and the dude almost certainly started a trend in the sports world, with teams even photoshopping big hats onto their players.
NB tells us there's no official partnership with Brian ... but there are some "pretty huge" endorsement deals in the works.
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John Metchie III Texans Honor WR With Custom Cleats ... As Leukemia Battle Continues
Texans wide receivers will honor their teammate, John Metchie III, with sets of custom cleats this week ... paying tribute to the wideout as he continues his battle with leukemia.
The guys, led by star Brandin Cooks, surprised the 22-year-old with the idea on Tuesday ... showing off the special spikes that they'll don for their game against the Browns on Sunday.
The orange-themed cleats pay homage to John's signature "Karate Kid" touchdown celebration that he made famous while playing for Alabama. They also say "Metchie Strong" and "Believe" on the sides.
And, check out video that the Texans shared Tuesday, Metchie III was blown away by it all.
"We love you," Cooks said to the wideout while unveiling the cleats. "Keep inspiring us in everything that you're doing. You know we've got your back every step of the way as best we can, for sure."
Metchie III was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Texans ... but the team announced in July that he would miss the season following his leukemia diagnosis.
He's been seen regularly on gameday sidelines and practices throughout this year ... and is reportedly doing well in his battle.
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Model Ivana Knoll Defies Qatar Dress Code With Sexy 'Fit ... At World Cup Game
A stunning soccer fan decided to rock a sexy 'fit as she cheered on her team at the World Cup over the weekend ... despite Qatar's strict dress code.
Model Ivana Knoll -- who's known as the "World Cup's Hottest Fan" -- posed for pics in a revealing red and white dress while in attendance for the Croatia vs. Canada matchup on Sunday ... with her shoulders and knees fully exposed.
Of course, Qatar takes a modest approach to clothing ... and anyone who visits is strongly encouraged to follow the guidelines.
In fact, the country's tourism page specifically states both men and women are "expected to show respect for local culture by avoiding excessively revealing clothing in public."
Safe to say Knoll's wardrobe choice was a big no-no in the eyes of the locals ... but it doesn't appear she was kicked out of the game or got in any sort of trouble.
As for the contest ... Knoll's beloved Croatian squad ended up easily defeating Canada, 4-1.
No word on whether Knoll will be in attendance for Croatia's next matchup against Belgium on Thursday ... but if she does, it'll be interesting to see if she pulls off the same look again.