Kanye West, the rapper also known as Ye, faced a significant business setback on January 14, 2026, when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) abandoned 20 applications to trademark “Yews” across categories including clothing, food, beverages, household goods, jewelry, and news reporting, according to an exclusive report from RadarOnline. The filings, handled by West’s trademark firm Ox Paha, expired due to failure to demonstrate use in commerce within the required timeframe, marking the latest in hundreds of dismissed applications. This development, verified by a USPTO spokesperson and cross-referenced in HotNewHipHop and Music Times, underscores ongoing challenges in West’s branding efforts.
The “Yews” trademark push ties back to West’s short-lived 2024 venture, Yews News, an alt-right website that operated for just a few months, as detailed in RadarOnline and echoed by HotNewHipHop. Applications spanned diverse sectors, with RadarOnline noting specific inclusions like news reporting linked to the site. Music Times confirmed the USPTO’s stance, quoting a spokesperson: “The applications for marks such as ‘Yews,’ filed across categories including clothing, food, household goods, jewelry, and even news reporting, were not approved.” Over the past 12 months, approximately 350 Ox Paha filings have been abandoned, including high-profile names like Ye, Yeezus, Yeezy Sound, and Donda, due to procedural lapses such as untimely proof of commercial use.
A business analyst reviewing the filings told RadarOnline that “it’s rare for any of his recent trademark efforts to succeed,” revealing zero successful Ox Paha registrations in the last five years. Music Times highlighted additional abandoned marks with unconventional spellings, such as Villadome, Drome, Villadrome, Villadram, Droam, Villadroam, and Villadraom, pointing to “systemic issues with filing strategy or compliance,” per a trademark law expert. HotNewHipHop corroborated the pattern, noting the rejections follow West’s recent meeting with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, where he expressed remorse for past antisemitic remarks, though the trademarks predate this by years—initial “Yews” filings date to 2023 via Ox Paha Inc., as older reports confirm without contradicting the abandonments.
These rejections compound pressures on West’s empire, already strained by controversies including antisemitic statements that cost partnerships with Adidas and Balenciaga, reducing his reported net worth from billionaire status. A trademark expert cited in Music Times explained the impact: “Failure to register these names can affect branding, product launches, and licensing opportunities.” Despite this, West maintains visibility in music and fashion, but the USPTO’s actions signal hurdles for future ventures tied to “Yews” or similar marks, limiting legal protections for expansion in apparel, media, and beyond.
