American clothing and accessories retailer Gap Inc. is seeking over $2 million from rapper Kanye West to cover the potential cost of damages incurred in a breach of contract lawsuit.
The retail giant is being sued by real estate company Art City Center, which owns the building that houses a leased Yeezy storefront that was allegedly modified without permission.
West and Gap were previously in a partnership. Still, the rapper called it off last year after alleging they refused to release apparel and open storefronts as stipulated in their contract.
Read on for more details.
Gap Sues Kanye West For $2 Million
In a recent legal development, retail giant Gap Inc. has filed a counter lawsuit against renowned rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, seeking over $2 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges that West breached a contract with the company, causing significant harm to Gap’s business interests.
The lawsuit stems from a collaboration agreement between the “Donda” crooner and Gap, which was announced with great fanfare in June 2020. The partnership leveraged West’s creative vision to create new clothing design lines.
According to RadarOnline, Gap claims that West & Yeezy failed to fulfill his contractual obligations by making numerous alterations to a building that houses its storefront without Gap’s approval, “much less under the terms of the Agreement.” Moreover, Gap argues that its deal with West stipulated that the company would not be held liable for any claims brought due to Yeezy’s acts or omissions.
The Gap lawsuit read, “The performance of the work not only breached the Strategic Agreement, but the manner of preparing for and performing the work caused the need for the repairs and restoration alleged in the complaint.”
The company seeks compensation from the ex-billionaire for the potential damages incurred due to the alleged breach of contract.
Gap argues that “by making and not repairing or restoring the preceding alterations of the Premises that [Kanye] made without Gap’s participation or approval, [Kanye] breached the Strategic Agreement and directly and proximately caused Gap to incur expenses to repair and restore the premises.”
Representatives for Kanye West have yet to make an official statement regarding the lawsuit.
Art City Center sued Gap
According to RadarOnline, Gap’s legal drama with West seemingly originates from its legal battle with the real estate company it entered into a one-year lease agreement with for a storefront in a building on 6th Street in Los Angeles.
Court documents obtained by the news outlet show that the real estate giant, Art City Center, alleged that the retail giant “completed numerous, significant, unapproved modifications” to the premises, and it has not been restored to its original condition.
Both entities initially entered into a one-year lease agreement for the building from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, but it was extended afterward. Gap was required to pay $104,666.67 per month in rent with $8,333 per month in parking costs and was not allowed to make any changes to the building without approval.
According to the news outlet, Art City Center alleged in September 2022 that Gap owed $822k in holding damages, accumulating at $164,000 per month plus additional damages for $1.5 million.
Gap has maintained the innocence of any wrongdoing, arguing, “supervening legal requirements prevented the performance of the Lease by its terms, thereby excusing, in whole or part, Tenant’s performance.”
Kanye West And Gap Ended Their Partnership
Kanye West officially announced the termination of his partnership with the global apparel retailer in September last year, per The Blast.
The collaboration between the multi-talented musician and Gap was initially hailed as a groundbreaking venture that aimed to merge the innovative design aesthetics of West’s Yeezy brand with Gap’s mass-market appeal. The partnership, announced in June 2020, garnered significant attention and excitement from fans and industry insiders alike.
However, recent legal disputes have cast a shadow over the collaboration. West alleged that the company breached its agreement by not releasing apparel as planned or opening stores.
A statement released by his representatives and shared on his Instagram page confirmed that the partnership between West and Gap had officially ended.
Kanye West Wants No In-between
The “Jesus Is King” singer, 45, made headlines with a bold statement, expressing his desire to establish a direct connection with his audience and eliminate the presence of intermediaries such as Gap and Adidas.
The announcement came following his legal drama with the clothing brands, pointing out that he wanted to go solo and open his stores without a company “standing in between me and the audience.”
“It’s time for me to go it alone. It’s fine. I made the company’s money. The companies made me money. We created ideas that will change apparel forever, like the round jacket, the foam runner, and the slides that have changed the shoe industry. Now it’s time for Ye to make the new industry. No more companies standing between me and the audience,” the rapper stated.
