Kanye West
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Ye aka Kanye West has launched a new website dedicated to giving you all the news about himself, beginning with a recap of his upcoming album.
The platform, called Yews.News appeared to launch on Tuesday (December 12). It coincided with West being reinstated on X, formerly Twitter. Clicking on the platform on a desktop or laptop computer will take a person to a landing page that informs them which simply says, “Yews is designed for mobile.”
The site is broken up into three sections that are timestamped at 10 A.M., 3 P.M., and 8 P.M. The 10 A.M. and 8 P.M. sections cover the news, ranging from cultural and political topics like Donald Trump and the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Each page carries religious illustrations and has a varied amount of sources which include The Washington Post and Trump’s Truth Social website. Each post looks to be written in third-person, without any indication that Kanye West is penning any of them.
The 3 P.M. section contains a recap of the live listening event for Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign’s album Vultures, which is slated to be released on Friday (December 15) according to reports. The event featured the two showcasing songs from the new album, as they were joined on stage by Lil Durk, Offset, Chris Brown, and Kodak Black. Freddie Gibbs was also on hand and did his verse from the song “Back To Me”. The performance was captured by his manager Ben “Lambo” Lambert, who shared it in a post on X with the caption: “Verse of the year.”
The new site clears up the speculation that ensued when news of the “YEWS” trademark was first reported a couple of months ago. It was noted then that the trademark could be applied to many other things including merchandise, so it remains to be seen what will debut next.
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A new song from Ye aka Kanye West covering a hit from the Backstreet Boys might get him in trouble as he reportedly didn’t get permission from them.
According to reports, Kanye West is set to release his latest album, Vultures, this week. As artwork for the album has been released, the song “Everybody” stands out. It’s a new interpretation of the 1997 smash hit song by the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” However, sources close to the group claim he never got official approval to use the song.
West previewed the album during a private live listening session held in Miami, Florida, Monday (Dec. 11). In his song, the original sung by the Backstreet Boys members can be heard along with the chorus until Ty Dolla $ign takes over to sing. The song also features Charlie Wilson and Lil Baby. In technical terms, the new chorus is an interpolation. If West used the sample of the original song, he would need permission from the label and the publisher. Doing an interpolation means that he would only need permission from whoever holds the publishing rights.
It gets trickier from there, as the Backstreet Boys don’t own the publishing rights to that song. It belongs to Swedish producer Max Martin and his mentor, the late Denniz Pop. It appears, so far, that neither Pop’s estate nor Martin granted their permission for Kanye to use the song. Martin’s publisher, Kobalt, stated in response to press inquiries: “We do not comment on legal matters.” Representatives for the Backstreet Boys and Martin also declined to comment.
The situation is another oddity for West, who showed up at the listening event wearing a black Ku Klux Klan hood as well as Nazi imagery being featured. There’s no word on how Vultures will be released to the public as the rapper is no longer with Def Jam and Sony Music Publishing, reportedly splitting with them both in 2021 quietly. It wasn’t until his deluge of antisemitic remarks made late last year when that news resurfaced.
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Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign are close to releasing their collaborative album Vultures and hosted a listening party in Miami this week. What has some people talking is the moment when Kanye West came onstage donning a Black hood stylized like the white KKK hood.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, collectively known under the ¥$ moniker, appeared together in Miami’s Wynwood Marketplace for an outdoor listening party according to a report from Variety.
The event got a late start and there were some technical issues with audio assistants having a time trying to connect West’s phone to the audio system at the venue. The event was also streamed on YouTube with fans at home experiencing viewing issues as well. According to the outlet, tickets for general admission for the event were listed at $200, $600 for VIP, and $10,000 for tables.
The pair played 10 tracks from Vultures with notable features from Lil Baby, Charlie Wilson, Lil Durk, Bump J, Nicki Minaj, Kodak Black, and more. Joining West and $ign on the stage were Chris Brown, Offset, the aforementioned Kodak Black, Lil Durk, Bump J, Freddie Gibbs, and more.
During the album’s controversial title track where West decries being antisemitic in a vulgar fashion, the artist came onstage wearing the Black hood and stared at the crowd for effect. Instead of shying away from the heat sure to come from the song and the image, West reportedly paused the song after the line in question from the song.
On X, formerly Twitter, fans are chiming in with their thoughts on the album, Kanye West himself, and more.
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Just because Kim Kardashian wants nothing to do with Kanye West anymore doesn’t mean that his friends are off limits too.
Get your mind out of the gutter, we didn’t mean it like that. According to the Huff Post, Kim Kardashian took to Instagram to thank Kanye’s former designer Bobby Naugle for gifting her and her daughter, North, some exclusive merchandise that he had designed for the embattled artist formerly known as Kanye West which included attire from Kanye’s Roc-A-Fella days.
Known for designing the iconic bear that Yeezy used to constantly use in his album’s covers and artwork, Naugle gifted Kim and North some throwback gear that any Hip-Hop collector would’ve loved to get their hands on.
The Huff Post reports:
“He asked for nothing in return,” Kardashian wrote.
Kardashian, who added that the two stayed in touch, said Naugle “felt it be most appropriate” to give a number of vintage Ye items to her children after he was approached by collectors and auction houses.
She wrote that the merchandise, which was created between 2003 and 2005, includes “first-hand sketches” along with the rapper’s “original personal pink” Ralph Lauren polo.
“I would like to publicly thank Bobby for his kindness and generosity (it’s very rare in this industry), when he could have easily made a lot of money from selling off these items instead,” Kardashian wrote alongside a picture of the two.
Remnants of a music artist once universally loved, but now, well, y’all know.
What Kim and North will do with this is anyone’s guess, but we wouldn’t be surprised if North rocks some of this stuff in the future as she seems to really love her dad.
What do y’all think of Bobby Naugle’s gifts to Kim and North? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Time Person of the Year Taylor Swift still has plenty to say about that fiasco between herself, Kanye West, and his then-wife Kim Kardashian.
There is still bad blood between Swift, Ye, and his ex-wife. In her Time Person of the Year interview, the “Shake It Off” singer opened up about the leaked phone conversation between herself and the antisemitic rapper in which he asked for permission to say her name in the 2016 track “Famous” off his very meh album, DONDA.
On the song, the artist, who now is called Ye, rapped, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/ Why? I made that bitch famous.” Swift claimed she had no idea the Chicago rapper would say the latter part of those lyrics after the song dropped.
West and his then-wife, Kim Kardashian, claimed that Swift was all on board with the tasteless bars.
Kim K took things further by dropping an edited video featuring the phone call between Ye and Swift, showing the singer approving the lyrics.
In the interview with Time, Swift said it felt like a “fully manufactured frame job.”
“[It was] an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar,” Swift said.
Adding, “Make no mistake — my career was taken away from me… I thought that moment of backlash was going to define me negatively for the rest of my life.”
Swift Believes Karma Will Deal With Her Foes
Swift had to move to another country because everyone sided with the rapper and his wife, returning to the spotlight with her 2017 album Reputation.
“That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before. I moved to a foreign country, “Swift told Time. “I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls.”
“I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore,” adding, “I went down really, really hard.”
“But I’ve also learned there’s no point in actively trying to quote-unquote defeat your enemies,” Swift said. “Trash takes itself out every single time.”
Swift’s loyal fanbase, the Swifties, also did some detective work uncovering the entire recording proving that West was talking about a different lyric, not the one on “Famous.”
Good for her.
Swift is now living her best life with her new boo, Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Champion tight end Travis Kelce while continuing to rake in tons of cash from her most recent tour, latest album, and concert film.
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Ye aka Kanye West performed a new song over the weekend in Dubai, which has earned him the ire of Jewish groups citing his degrading and antisemitic lyrics.
Ye was spotted in Dubai taking the stage during a show featuring Lil Durk at BLU Dubai nightclub Sunday (Nov. 26) where he was joined by Ty Dolla $ign. The trio then performed a new song featuring Ye called “Vultures.” The club had posted clips of the performance through its Instagram Stories, with one featuring the rapper saying, “How I’m antisemitic? I just f*cked a Jewish b*tch.”
That line sparked outrage online, with Jewish advocacy groups leading the charge against the controversial rapper. “At a time of rising antisemitism worldwide, it’s disgusting to see Kanye once again use his platform to spew Jew-hatred,” a spokesperson for the Anti-Defamation League said to a representative for TMZ.
“To fuel the flames of antisemitism and promote such bile to his millions of followers, especially at this fraught and dangerous time for the Jewish community, is unforgivable,” said Richard Hirschhaut, a spokesperson for the American Jewish Committee, adding that while this isn’t new behavior for Kanye West, this time around “seems particularly pathetic and sad.”
According to reports, “Vultures” (which apparently is Ye’s first official release since July of last year) was first aired to the public on Chicago radio station Power 92 on Nov. 17. The song hasn’t made it to streaming platforms yet. The controversy over the lyric adds to the bevy of antisemitic remarks that Ye has engaged in ever since making a post on X, formerly Twitter, last October.
That led to the “Father Stretch My Hands” rapper being kicked off the platform (he would be reinstated after Elon Musk bought the company), having his deals with adidas and Gap terminated and costing him his billionaire status. It only got worse in December when he appeared on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars show and praised Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
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Kanye West is positioning himself to release new music to the masses via a collaborative effort with Ty Dolla $ign, and he’s also looking to get back to signing artists. According to a new report, Kanye West is allegedly looking to buy out the remaining years of Lil Durk‘s contract after the pair recently performed together.
As reported by TMZ, Ye, Lil Durk, and Bump J recently performed at Blu Dhabi, sharing the Chicago producer’s newest track “Vultures” presumably from the upcoming collaboration album with Ty Dolla $ign. Sources close to the outlet say that Ye is in talks to buy out Durk’s contract with Alamo Records, which is helmed by 300 Records co-founder, Todd Moscowitz.
The track “Vultures” was released on November 22 featuring Ye, $ign, Bump J, but Lil Durk was noticeably absent. However, the track was released again the following day with Durk’s feature intact. A lyric from Ye addresses his past antisemitic comments in a colorful and vulgar fashion.
Moscowitz, according to sources, refused to clear Durk’s appearance on a Ye track which sparked talks of the contract buyout. Durk and Ye have a good working relationship, dating back to the single “Hot Sh*t” track with Cardi B back in 2022. Durk also appeared on the track “Jonah” from Ye’s Donda album.
A release date for Ye’s latest collection of music, tentatively titled ¥$, has yet to be announced.
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Kim Kardashian has shared that when it comes to co-parenting with her ex-husband, Kanye West, he’s still considered the fan favorite.
During a recent episode of The Kardashians, the two eldest Kardashians sisters, Kourtney and Kim, were discussing co-parenting with their ex-husbands and the challenges of overcoming being hurt by their children preferring to stay at the residence of their fathers versus theirs. During the sisterly chat, Kim revealed that her oldest daughter, North West, revealed she prefers to spend time with her dad because he “has it all figured out.”
“She’ll be like, ‘Dad is the best,’” Kim K. said. “‘He has it all figured out. He doesn’t have a nanny, he doesn’t have a chef, he doesn’t have security. He lives in an apartment.’ And she’ll start crying, ‘Why don’t you have an apartment? I can’t believe we don’t have an apartment.’”
Following the revelation, Kourtney empathized with the situation, sharing that her three children with ex, Scott Disick feel the same.
“They do that at Scott’s too,” Kourtney Kardashian said. “‘Dad has the best house, your house sucks. He has the best house. It’s not super big, the vibe is better.’ I feel like everything falls on the parent that’s more involved.’”
Clearly feeling upset, the SKIMS founder quipped that the children felt more independent due to “making ramen noodles” while under the care of Yeezy.
“They make their own food. That is amazing that you make Ramen,” Kim K said, to which Kourtney added, “You boil water and pour it onto some noodles.”
Later in the show during the confessional, Kim shared that Kourtney believes that 10-year-old North is the reality star’s “lesson” in her life. “I’m supposed to learn even more about patience—she teaches me patience. She has taught me a lot about life,” she shared.
Kim also shares seven-year-old Saint, five-year-old Chicago, and four-year-old Psalm with her ex-husband Ye; their divorce was finalized in November 2022, almost two years after she filed to end their 6-year marriage. Following the dissolution, Kardashian faced backlash in May after seemingly calling herself a single mother, stating that she has “no one there to help” during a podcast interview with Jay Shetty. Addressing the controversy, Kardashian said:
“I think I’m still learning how to be a single parent. Obviously, having nannies and a chef to help cook is beyond helpful. It’s all about family and enjoying these moments. It takes a village to raise kids, but at the end of the day, your kids only want you. The struggles that my kids go through really have nothing to do with the amount of help that I have.”
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North West pays tribute to her dad Ye aka Kanye West’s Graduation album by dressing up as the “Dropout Bear” mascot for Halloween.
On Saturday morning (Oct. 28), North West shared a video to the TikTok account that she shares with her mother Kim Kardashian. The video begins with the 10-year-old facing the camera operated by her mother, showing off how much she resembles her father, Ye aka Kanye West before donning the head of the “Dropout Bear” costume and dancing around to a sped-up version of “American Boy,” the 2007 smash hit by Estelle which featured Ye.
There were two other posts on the popular social media platform featuring the preteen in the costume. One showed her singing and dancing to “I Wonder,” from the Grammy Award-winning Graduation album and the other featured her dancing nonstop for almost a minute in full costume to “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.”
The costume itself is the one from West’s third album, Graduation, which showed the “Dropout Bear” mascot decked out in dark denim jeans, a blue and gray varsity jacket and a “Jesus piece” chain. The artwork of the bear was done by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. The mascot became famous after being featured on the cover of West’s debut album The College Dropout in 2004.
It’s not the first time that North has paid homage to her famous father. Earlier this year, she showed off an outfit featuring a Ralph Lauren long-sleeved rugby shirt with blue and orange stripes similar to what Ye wore at the time of The College Dropout’s release. The spooky season of Halloween has seen North West and her siblings honor other notable music artists in the past. Last year, she dressed as the late singer Aaliyah wearing a full ensemble by Tommy Hilfiger while Saint dressed up as Snoop Dogg. Chicago dressed like the singer Sade, and Psalm sported a costume inspired by the late Eazy-E.
Source: Jonathan Leibson / GettyAlong the way to becoming a rap star, Kanye West also became a poster child for the tolerance of otherwise inexcusable behavor. But bumrushing the MTV VMA’s stage or calling slavery a choice is light work compared to his shenanigans at adidas, which were recently exposed by a lengthy New York Times article investigating his time at the brand.Nevertheless, the New York Times learned that the German sportswear brand was putting up with Ye’s antisemitic rhetoric basically since the start of their almost 10-year business relationship. Obviously, Mr. West made them a gang of money, so don’t expect many tears to be shed on their behalf.The NY Times found evidence that Ye allegedly routinely made antisemitic comments, sexually offensive comments, and displayed out of pocket behavior that still wasn’t enough to stop execs from cutting ties with the artist. And best believe, they have the receipts.This article is the fullest accounting yet of their relationship. While some details have been reported earlier, The Times interviewed current and former employees of Adidas and of Mr. West, and obtained hundreds of previously undisclosed internal records — contracts, text messages, memos and financial documents — that reveal episodes throughout a partnership that was fraught from the start.Some of the documented antics have been told before, others are new revelations and low-key mind-blowing. We had to compile some of the most blatant tomfoolery documented in the story, for archival purposes. See below.
1. Swastika Ye
Source:Getty
Kanye West was so unimpressed with the initial batch of designs presented to him by adidas when they first joined forces in 2013 that he took a marker and drew a swastika on one of the illustrations. We’re not kidding.
Per the NY Times:
“The Adidas employees, thrilled to get started, had arrayed sneakers and fabric swatches on a long table near a mood board pinned with images.
But nothing they showed that day at the company’s German headquarters captured the vision Mr. West had shared. To convey how offensive he considered the designs, he grabbed a sketch of a shoe and took a marker to the toe, according to two participants. Then he drew a swastika.”
Bruh…
HOLLYWOOD, CA – JUNE 28: (L-R) adidas CMO Eric Liedtke and Kanye West at Milk Studios on June 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. adidas and Kanye West announce the future of their partnership: adidas + KANYE WEST. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for ADIDAS) photography,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,usa,topix,bestof,waist up,california,males,hollywood – california,milk studios,adidas,partnership – teamwork,ye – musician
2. Kiss Hitler
Source:Getty
No good can come from a Hitler obsession. Allegedly, Ye told a Jewish employee they should kiss a photo of Hitler. The employee in question, revealed to be Jon Wexler who helped bring him into the adidas fold, yelled at Ye.
Per the NY Times:
“He later advised a Jewish Adidas manager to kiss a picture of Hitler every day, and he told a member of the company’s executive board that he had paid a seven-figure settlement to one of his own senior employees who accused him of repeatedly praising the architect of the Holocaust.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 17: Kanye West onstage at adidas Creates 747 Warehouse St. – an event in basketball culture on February 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for adidas)
3. Roshe Homicide Confirmed
Source:Getty
Sneakersheads were saying this from jump the adidas Yeezy 350 got the then super popular Nike Roshe outta here.
Per the NY Times:
“First came a suede high-top, followed by the Yeezy Boost 350 — a sleek sneaker inspired by Nike’s Roshe Run and nicknamed “the Roshe killer” inside Adidas. It had a flat front, not the standard rolled toe that Mr. West disdained. It put a Yeezy spin on Adidas innovations: Boost foam, a new cushioning technology, in the sole, and a patterned knit fabric on top. The shoe wasn’t suited for running or sports, but complemented the athleisure apparel that was coming into fashion.”
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 26: Buyer from ANROSA boutique Romain Rabiller wears Adidas by Kayne West sneakers on day 3 of Paris Collections: Men on June 26, 2015 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images)
4. Porn Ye
Source:Getty
Ye is a well-documented fan of pornography. However, it’s not the best of looks in the workplace. For example:
Per the NY Times:
“Mr. West continued to show pornography to Adidas employees, and chose porn actresses to appear in Yeezy promotional photos, according to several people who worked with him. They also said they had seen him drinking at work and noticed that he sometimes went days with little or no sleep.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 14: Kanye West is seen on October 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
5. Morals?
Source:Getty
Ye’s then manager, Scooter Braun, tried to fight it, but adidas insisted on and was a granted a moral clause when his contract was re-upped in 2016. Talk about “CYA.” But, Ye got a 15% royalty and $10 million guaranteed annually.
Per the NY Times:
“Mr. West eventually conceded on Adidas’s terms for termination: felony conviction, bankruptcy, 30 consecutive days of mental health or substance abuse treatment, or anything that brings “disrepute, contempt, scandal” to him or tarnishes Adidas, according to a copy of the contract obtained by The Times.”
HOLLYWOOD, CA – JUNE 28: Kanye West at Milk Studios on June 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. adidas and Kanye West announce the future of their partnership: adidas + KANYE WEST (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for ADIDAS)
6. Break
Source:Getty
After signing his new adidas contract in May 2016, Kanye West would infamously suffer a mental break that required hospitalization later that year. The NY Times got some new details about when he was committed soon after he canceled his tour.
Per the NY Times:
“Harley Pasternak, his friend and former trainer, arrived at the musician’s house in Los Angeles that week to find him consumed with paranoid thoughts, including that government agents were out to get him. He was writing Bible verses and drawing spaceships on bedsheets with a Sharpie, while a handful of worried friends and employees lingered nearby. When Mr. Pasternak encouraged him to come to a nearby office he owned, Mr. West emerged with suitcases packed with pots, pans and Tupperware.
Mr. Pasternak, who later provided an account of the incident in a deposition for Mr. West’s touring company as it sought insurance payouts for the canceled shows, took him to the office. A psychiatrist from U.C.L.A. Medical Center and another doctor were among those called to the scene. After observing Mr. West’s behavior escalate — at one point he threw a bottle, breaking a window — the doctor called 911.”
Kanye West performing (Photo by Swan Gallet/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)
7. Blame Farrakhan
Source:Youtube
Ye’s relationship with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has been shaky. But in 2013 Ye let off some potentially antisemitic remarks when he told The Breakfast Club that Jews had “connections” but he said much more egregious rhetoric behind closed doors.
Per the NY Times:
“He was becoming closer to Mr. Farrakhan. When Mr. West had drawn criticism that he was perpetuating dangerous stereotypes in 2013 by saying “Black people don’t have the same level of connections as Jewish people,” the minister quickly came to his defense. The rapper went on to help him with a documentary about the Nation of Islam. His manager, Mr. Braun — the grandson of Holocaust survivors — told others in the industry that Mr. West made him attend a private dinner with the minister.”
Mr. West also told some Adidas colleagues that he admired Hitler’s command of propaganda, viewing him as a master marketer.”
In 2018, he disclosed to Mr. Liedtke and another manager that he had paid a seven-figure settlement to the outgoing chief executive of his Yeezy operation, who had accused him of commending Hitler and creating a hostile workplace, according to someone familiar with the conversation.”
8. Kanye West x TMZ edit
Source:Youtube
We all know that Kanye West told TMZ that he thought slavery sounded like a choice, and the firestorm it set off. It turns out that he also said that we should both sides Nazis in the same interview, but his manager managed to get it removed.
Per the NY Times:
“During the TMZ interview in which Mr. West made the slavery comment, he said it was important to love everyone, including Nazis. Before the interview aired, Mr. Braun phoned Harvey Levin, founder of the celebrity news website, to discuss the Nazi reference, according to someone with knowledge of the call. In the end, the remark was cut but was disclosed in 2022 by a former journalist from the site. TMZ declined to comment.”
9. Shoe Me The Money
Source:Kanye West Purchases Second City In Wyoming To Bring Yeezy Production To The US
Apparently, Ye wasn’t a fan of traditional advertising. Instead, he wanted the cash, and he would take it from there.
Per the NY Times:
“Mr. West, who objected to advertising and other traditional promotion, had insisted that Adidas’s money was better spent on anything that drew public attention to him. So the executives had agreed to replace the Yeezy marketing budget with a $100 million annual fund that Mr. West could spend with less oversight.”
10. The start of the ending…
In September 2022 while Ya made wild public demands of adidas, he thought it was a good idea to show the execs he was meeting with pornography to bolster the point that he was being exploited. That didn’t work out too well.
11. The Aftermath
Source:Getty
Despite officially cutting ties with Ye on October 25, 2022, he was still entitled to arbitration. Part of the agreement with adidas was to release the remaining stock of adidas Yeezy product, reportedly worth north of $1 billion. While part of the revenue goes to the Anti-Defamation League and an organization created by George Floyd’s family, most goes to adidas, and Ye gets 15% of that. Through June, they made a cool $437 million, which also pushed adidas into better financial footing. What a time.
But most of the revenue would go to Adidas, and Mr. West was entitled to royalties.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: A fashion week guest seen wearing red adidas yeezy shoes, outside paul and joe during London Fashion Week September 2022 on September 17, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)