Billionaire Michael Jordan Refused to Meet His ‘Rival’ Kanye West Simply Due to the Lyrics of His Song

Published 09/24/2022, 7:30 AM EDT

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the person to change sneaker culture forever. His signature ‘Jordan’ brand is one of the biggest sneaker companies in the world and its success has helped MJ become a billionaire.

Similar to Jordan, Kanye West is also credited for bringing about a change in the sneaker industry. While Kanye is currently signed to Adidas, there was a time when both West and Jordan were signed to Nike.

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However, Nike decided against paying West the royalties to his shoe. This was revealed by the former Grammy winner himself when asked about why he left the brand.

Kanye took the feud with Nike one step further by referencing one of the brand’s biggest-selling sneakers in his song. It is none other than the Jordan brand.

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West, in his song ‘Facts‘, said, “Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman.” Needless to say, Michael Jordan and his competitive nature kicked in upon hearing this, and he even refused to meet with Kanye West.

Interestingly enough, the award-winning music producer and rapper revealed that he has tried to meet MJ. However, all his efforts have been in vain. “Jordan still won’t meet with me. I’m trying to meet with Michael Jordan, it’s like, ‘Man, it’s a song, man’“, said West. Although the two do not share a personal rivalry, their associations with rival brands have definitely caused a rift between them.

How much does Michael Jordan earn compared to Kanye West?

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Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan and Kanye West are undoubtedly two of the pioneers of the sneaker industry. According to reports, West earns around 5% of royalties from his signature ‘Yeezy’ shoes. With sales expected to be around $1.3 billion, West earned around $65 million back in 2019, according to reports.

On the other hand, MJ has reportedly made a whopping $1.3 billion from Nike since signing for the brand all the way back in 1984. Thanks to his association with Nike and other endorsements and ventures, Jordan has a net worth of around $1.7 billion.

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WATCH THIS STORY: 10 things Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman can’t live without

What is your favorite memory of Michael Jordan? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by:

Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

Edited by:

Veer Badani

Billionaire Michael Jordan Refused to Meet His ‘Rival’ Kanye West Simply Due to the Lyrics of His Song

How much does Michael Jordan earn compared to Kanye West?

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