Kanye West Faces Backlash Over Abandoned Trademark Applications
Over the past year leading up to early 2026, Kanye West has been under fire for filing over 350 trademark applications through his company, Ox Paha Inc., all of which have been deemed “dead” or abandoned by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Critics have not held back in their condemnation of West’s trademark filings, calling them “distasteful,” “nonsensical,” “sick,” and “bigoted.” This backlash comes in the wake of West’s period of intense antisemitic rhetoric and erratic behavior.
Among the controversial trademark applications were multiple filings for the word “Yews,” as well as a series of bizarre and redundant phrases. Ox Paha attempted to trademark variations of words such as “Villadome,” “Drome,” “Villadrome,” “Villadram,” “Droam,” “Villadroam,” and “Villadraom.”
One particularly contentious filing in 2025 was for the phrase “Wife By Husband,” reportedly intended for a book about West’s wife, Bianca Censori. This move sparked outrage from women’s rights campaigners, who viewed it as demeaning and regressive.
As the controversy surrounding West’s trademark applications continues to grow, it remains to be seen how the artist will respond to the criticism and whether he will address the concerns raised by his detractors.
