The Fall Of A Hip-Hop Icon: Kanye West's Net Worth In 2023 Post-Adidas

Forbes, in 2022, attributed $1.5 billion to the Adidas deal, employing a forward multiple of the royalties West received. Viewed akin to film residuals or music royalties, this income stream could have been potentially liquidated, drawing parallels to how iconic musicians like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen monetized their extensive catalogs for hundreds of millions.

Post-Adidas, the stark reality is that Ye's net worth plummeted to an estimated $400 million.

October 2022 already witnessed the termination of partnerships with Gap and Balenciaga, albeit without a significant impact on his fortune. What remains in West's financial portfolio in 2023 are cash and liquid investments, standing at approximately $100 million, his music catalog valued at $130 million, and a 5% stake in Skims, the shapewear company founded by his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, adding another $128 million to his portfolio.

Notably, Ye's involvement in Skims has waned since its 2019 launch, according to a revelation made by a spokesperson to Forbes. With uncertainties in royalty fluctuations and a cooling market for music catalogs, the once-robust valuation of West's catalog may face a decline, potentially rendering it less lucrative than Forbes estimates. As Kanye West charts a course through this post-Adidas financial landscape, the resilience of his remaining assets becomes a focal point amid the fallout from terminated partnerships.

Ye's response to this financial setback involved announcing another presidential campaign in November 2022, called YE24. Yet in a surprising turn of events, the much-anticipated YE24 presidential bid by Kanye West seems to have met an untimely demise at the moment of writing. The demise of this prospect is confirmed by Kanye's personal attorney, Bruce Marks, who is overseeing the wind-down of the rapper's campaign apparatus. Marks, in a statement to Rolling Stone, unequivocally states, "He's not a candidate for office in 2024."

The repercussions of Ye's outbursts do not end there, as he is allegedly also having trouble gaining entry to Australia to meet the family of his new wife, Bianca Censori. Even though there is currently no indication that the musician and designer, Ye, intends to visit Australia, Australian Education Minister Jason Clare informed Nine's Today Show on Wednesday that individuals sharing comparable views to the celebrity—expressed when he told right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones last year that he admires Hitler and loves Nazis—have faced visa rejections in the past.

Kanye West's financial trajectory in 2023 reflects a remarkable rise and a self-inflicted fall. The termination of the Adidas partnership not only cost him a billionaire status but also cast a shadow on his future financial prospects. As he navigates this tumultuous period, West's ability to rebound will likely hinge on strategic decisions, image rehabilitation, and the success of his remaining ventures. Only time will reveal whether Ye can reclaim his financial prominence or if this chapter marks a lasting shift in his economic narrative.