Kanye West Accused Of Stealing "DONDA" Merch Design From Up-And-Coming Brand

BY Erika Marie 27.5K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Brad Barket / Stringer / Getty Images
Kanye West
Up-and-coming brand Infinity G8ds sent him their line & were invited to Atlanta only to see that Ye allegedly used their design in his "Donda" merch.

Who knows when Donda will be released, but Kanye West's phantom album isn't at the forefront of his latest controversy. Hip Hop has been awaiting the arrival of West's anticipated album, and while the Rap mogul works diligently to place the final touches on the record, he has reportedly racked up millions from his live events, merch, and Gap sales. However, an up-and-coming designer has publicly accused Kanye of stealing his work and using it for his Donda apparel.

Infinity G8ds reportedly spoke and met with Kanye West prior to the Donda listening events at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, even having the opportunity to send the rapper several pieces.

In a TikTok, Infinity G8ds shared their side of the story as they added video clips of their experience. "Randy was invited to send Kanye West a gift of his upcoming line @infinityg8ds," they wrote. "Sound on!!!!!! I recorded this video of Randy on a FT call with Kanye West inviting him to Atlanta to meet with him. He loved the items, the materials, and the design!" The call was labeled with the date "July 24, 2021."

The team reportedly drove nine hours to Atlanta, signed NDAs, and showed videos of themselves inside of the stadium waiting to sit down with Kanye for a meeting. They showed that the Infinity G8ds design is a six-pointed star, resembling the Star of David, with an infinity symbol wrapped around a cross in the middle. West would also use that exact design, except in the center, the rapper took out the infinity symbol and left the cross.

"Yesterday, this was released as the official merch for Kanye's new album!!!!" the TikTok added. "He invited him to meet with him and then stole his freakin design minus one element." West's team hasn't responded to the accusations, but people have rallied around the brand in support. Watch the story below.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.