Ye Accused Of Discriminating Against Black Employees
Ye (formerly Kanye West) is facing allegations that he discriminated against a Black employee, Page Six reports.
The lawsuit, which was filed by Benjamin Deshon Provo on Friday (April 26) in Los Angeles, claims that Ye terminated his employment because of “the color of his skin.”
Hired in August 2021, as a security guard at Donda Academy, Ye’s Chrisitan school, Provo stated that he experienced “severe emotional distress” because of the rapper’s treatment of him.
“Kanye and members of his management team subjected Provo and other black employees to less favorable treatment than their white counterparts,” the lawsuit read.
The suit also alleges that Ye exhibited behavior toward Black employees that he did not towards non-Black employees.
“Specifically, Kanye frequently screamed at and berated black employees, while in contrast, he never so much as raised his tone of voice toward white staff,” the suit continued.
The lawsuit goes on to say that Ye ridiculed Provo "for wearing his hair in dreads.”
“As a result of Plaintiff’s non-compliance with Kanye’s demands that his head be shaved, Hicks and Kanye began to exert pressure on Plaintiff to do the same,” the document read, adding that “Kanye began to become increasingly more aggressive, demanding” declaring “it is time for you to shave your heads. I am not messing around.”
“However, Plaintiff refused. Thereafter, Hicks approached Plaintiff and stated, 'Kanye said, 'Tell the one with the dreads to shave his head or he is fired.' Plaintiff refused to shave his head, and as a result thereof, his employment was terminated,” the complaint continued.
The lawsuit also alleges that Provo became aware that there was “a stark difference in the way Kanye treated Plaintiff and other Black employees” in comparison to their ”non-Black counterparts.” The suit alleges that Black employees were compensated less than other employees “for no discernible reason.” Additionally, Ye is accused of being “always abrupt, abrasive, and demeaning of Plaintiff and his Black counterparts.”
After bringing up the issue to his manager John Hicks, Provo was allegedly told, “Don’t bring up money to Ye. He doesn’t like to talk about money.”
Carney R. Shegerian, the lead attorney on the case, of Shegerian & Associates, said that he plans to bring a just resolution for his client.
“No matter how famous one is, no one is above the law. We look forward to holding Mr. West accountable for the discrimination alleged in the complaint,” said Shegerian.
In the suit, Provo is seeking damages "for alleged discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, labor code violations, and other claims."
In addition to Provo’s accusations, Trevor Phillips, another former employee, alleged in a lawsuit filed in April that Ye “spewed hateful, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric within earshot of students.”
He also stated that Ye once told “students he would put a jail at the school where they could be locked in cages.”