Kanye West attacks Diageo - Moray distilleries firm among explicit rant targets
A drinks industry giant which owns more than a dozen Moray distilleries was among the subjects of an explicit rant by Kanye West.
The hip hop artist attacked the spirits firm last week in a series of tweets later described by the Campaign Against Antisemitism as an “antisemitic rampage”.
One of the 47-year-old’s posts read simply “F**K DIAGEO”.
Another tweet, which contained a racial slur and antisemitic remarks, saw the all-caps phrase uttered for a second time.
Also included in his spree of posts were explicitly pro-Nazi statements.
According to the 2023 Scotch Whisky Industry Review, Diageo owns 16 distilleries in the Speyside region, producing an estimated 52,900,000 litres of pure alcohol.
Distilleries operated by the firm include Cardhu, Benrinnes, Dufftown, Linkwood, Inchgower, Glen Elgin and Glenlossie.
Mr West’s tweets did not set out his reasons for targeting the company, headquartered in London, which also produces Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan.
However, a possible explanation is suggested in other tweets. The rapper expressed support for Sean Puffy Combs, known as P-Diddy, who is set to face a federal criminal trial over allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering.
The fellow rapper and music industry executive is also facing a number of civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and misconduct.
He has denied all allegations against him.
Between 2007 and 2023, Mr Combs partnered with Diageo in a role in promoting vodka brand Cîroc in the US.
In 2013, the two parties went on to purchase tequila brand DeLeón.
However, in May 2023, Mr Combs launched a lawsuit against the drinks firm alleging that brands had been neglected and marketed only to “urban” consumers due to racism.
Diageo, in response, described his allegations as “derogatory” and suggested the legal bid was intended to distract from debts owed by Mr Combs.
In January 2024, a joint statement confirmed that the lawsuit had been settled but that the parties now had no commercial relationship.
A multi-million-dollar deal between Mr West and Adidas was ended by the company in 2022, after the rapper made antisemitic remarks.
Further tweets, published around the time of his anti-Diageo outburst, appear to suggest a similarity between this and the end of Mr Combs’ deal.
In the tweet immediately before his first mention of the drinks company, he said: “WHAT YALL GONE DO CANCEL MY SNEAKER DEAL”.
A Diageo spokeperson was approached for this article, but declined to comment.
