Why is Kanye West's Yeezy website taken down? Drama explained

Kanye West’s online store, Yeezy, has been officially taken offline following a wave of backlash over its latest T-shirt featuring a swastika.

The controversy, which erupted after West promoted the website in a Super Bowl ad, reportedly led Shopify to suspend the store. The e-commerce platform stated that it violated their platform’s terms.

The removal of the Yeezy website is the latest in a series of public and professional consequences for the rapper, who has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent times.

The shutdown marks a significant shift for Yeezy, which was once a dominant lineup in the global sneaker and fashion industries. Initially launched in collaboration with Adidas, Yeezy became known for its modern sneaker designs, including the iconic Yeezy Boost 350, 700 Wave Runner, and the relatively minimalist Yeezy Slides.

The brand’s futuristic aesthetic sets trends in the streetwear industry worldwide. However, West’s increasingly controversial public statements and behavior have caused a visible decline in the brand’s reputation and partnerships.

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Kanye West's Super Bowl LIX ad that sparked outrage

The controversy began on February 9, 2025, when Kanye West, now known as Ye, aired a self-made Super Bowl commercial directing viewers to Yeezy.com. The low-budget ad, filmed on an iPhone, showed the rapper sitting in a dentist’s chair.

He talked about spending his marketing budget on new teeth instead of production. However, when fans visited the site, they found only one product for sale: a plain white T-shirt with a black swastika printed on the front, priced at $20.

Social media users, celebrities, and advocacy groups, among others, took to social media sites to condemn Kanye West for launching the T-shirt with the Swastika imagery. The American Jewish Committee called the move “blatant hatred.” On the other hand, artists like Charlie Puth and David Schwimmer publicly urged Ye to stop spreading harmful messages.

Shopify's stand

Shopify, the e-commerce platform that hosted Yeezy.com, took action after the backlash. By February 11, 2025, the website was taken down, with visitors seeing only an error message stating,

“This store is unavailable.”

Shopify confirmed its decision in a statement shared with Variety, saying:

"All merchants are responsible for following the rules of our platform. This merchant did not engage in authentic commerce practices and violated our terms, so we removed them from Shopify."

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Also Read: Kanye West launches Yeezy SL-02 and SL-03 shoes during Super Bowl 2025