It’s been eight years since the epic “You ain’t got the answers, Sway!” business conversation between Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, and Sway Calloway of Sway in the Morning. Now that the “Streetlights” rapper is divesting his Yeezy brand from GAP and Adidas, he has a newfound respect for Sway and humbly admits that the veteran personality was actually right when he suggested that West “empower himself” and build his own business empire in the fashion industry.
Far from his appearance on the Sway radio show where West’s presentation was more clean cut, West interviewed with ABC News’ Linsey Davis to discuss his relationship with his former wife, Kim Kardashian, fatherhood, Donda Academy, and his recent business moves. West has been on a PR tour to speak about selling Yeezy directly to consumers amid an ongoing legal battle with Adidas.
“I will go ahead and say that Sway had the answer.” @kanyewest talks about selling Yeezy brand on his own amidst brand battles and references an interview with Sway from 2013. https://t.co/pJ0AQzgKkj pic.twitter.com/iPvZU9i8YJ
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 22, 2022
It wasn’t too long ago when West went on to CNBC’s Closing Bell to announce the termination of his long-term collaboration deal with GAP, Inc. In the interview, West reasoned that “a king can’t live in someone else’s castle. A king has to make his own castle.”
Kanye West Wants His Own Castle, Decides To Terminate Yeezy x GAP Business Deal
Equipped with new legal representation, West is preparing to take back his massively successful Yeezy empire. Perhaps this was all part of the plan to catapult the Yeezy name and brand loyalty through association and controversy. At the time of the Sway interview, West needed some kind of investment and sponsorship to launch the brand on a wider scale.
At this point, he doesn’t need the mass distribution and marketing of a major corporation, especially since GAP is struggling as a brick-and-mortar retailer with fading fashions, and it’s now common to sell direct-to-consumer online. If West wants to level up, there’s no better time than now.
The half-hour special, A Conversation with Ye: Linsey Davis Reporting, airs 8:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 22 on ABC News Live, Nightline, and streams later on Hulu.
For good old times, check out the Sway In The Morning interview below.
