Adidas Looks To Work More With Rita Ora After Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sues For $2.3M


Rita has been making her share of headlines. Shortly after the British pop star stripped down for a provocative photo shoot with French publication, Lui, she was sued by Jay Z’s Roc Nation for a cool $2.3 million.

Now, there are some new photos of Rita Ora popping up on the Internet. These aren’t nearly as controversial as her shoot taken by photographer Terry Richardson, but it will cause concerns about cultural appropriation. Back in 2014, Ora was officially announced as the latest brand ambassador for the athletic company. Now the company expressed that they are interested in still working with the “Poison” singer, despite her recent controversies.

Adidas Originals and Rita Ora will be launching a collection called Asian Arena, arriving to stores on February 6 at select retailers. The line is said to be inspired by the Japanese geisha, and will include sportswear pieces that “are boldly restructured as a nod to the wide arms of the classic kimono and the origami-esque structure of the obi,” Adidas said in a recent statement.

The limited-edition collection includes the Obi jacket, which features the three signature Adidas stripes going down the sleeves. Other pieces in the collection include wide-leg pants to match back to the Obi jacket, a bomber jacket, wide-sleeved sweatshirts, track suits, leggings, and several accessories to match back to the clothing. Sportswear will also be included in the Adidas Originals and Rita Ora collection, including a fresh take on the ZX Flux and Stan Smith styles.

Mark King, head of Adidas North America, revealed to Footwear News last summer that the company will continue to work with hip-hop stars like Rita Ora, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams.

“All of our advertising and brand communication is now created here [in the U.S.]. We’re launching products out of rhythm [with the rest of the group] to make more sense for the U.S.”

Meanwhile, Jay Z’s Roc Nation has filed a counterattack on Rita Ora. After the singer filed a lawsuit in California, the rapper sued her for $2.3 million in New York. But Ora’s lawyer told the Daily News on Monday, February 1, that Jay Z has agreed to end the singer’s five-album contract.

“I think we’re just going to resolve this. He said that he’s happy to let her go. He called her the day we filed and graciously said she didn’t need to file. I’m paraphrasing, but he said, ‘If you want off the label, we’ll let you go.’ “

Of course, there’s a catch. Her attorney said that Roc Nation’s counter-lawsuit was filed “reluctantly” in order to meet a deadline, and he hopes that they will reach a settlement before hearing is set for April 19 in Los Angeles.

On Friday, Roc Nation sued the 25-year-old for breach of contract and claimed that they suffered millions of dollars in damages. The label said that Ora agreed to release five albums since she signed her contract in 2008, but has only released one. In her filing, Ora claimed that Roc Nation shifted its focus on sports management and the new streaming service, Tidal.

“When Rita signed, Roc Nation and its senior executives were very involved with her as an artist. As Roc Nation’s interests diversified, there were fewer resources available and the company suffered a revolving door of executives. Rita’s remaining supporters at the label left or moved to other activities, to the point where she no longer had a relationship with anyone at the company.”

More photos of Rita Ora’s nude photo shoot for Lui Magazine has surfaced. The second round of photos features Ora wearing only an olive green bomber jacket and Adidas Superstars, unsurprising considering the recent news of her continued collaboration with the brand. In another photo, the blonde siren is wrapped up in a white furry blanket.

Richardson has taken to Instagram to share a few of the racy photos from the shoot, even though the site has a strict policy when it comes to nudity. Since Rita Ora’s music career is now at a standstill, she will have to stick to generating interest with controversial photo shoots.

[Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images]

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