Kanye West is being sued for racial discrimination by a security guard who alleged he was fired for refusing to shave off his dreadlocks.
Kanye West is being sued for racial discrimination from a former security guard.
The 46-year-old rapper is the subject of a lawsuit filed by Benjamin Deshon Provo - who worked for the 'All Day' hitmaker at both his Donda Academy school and at a warehouse used as storage for Yeezy clothing - in which the former employee alleged the controversial star subjected Black employees to “less favourable treatment than their White counterparts.”
Documents obtained by People magazine alleged Kanye "frequently screamed at and berated Black employees” and fired Benjamin for refusing to cut his dreadlocks.
The security guard told how he began working for Kanye around August 2021 and after six months at Donda Academy, when the school moved locations he was “assigned additional job duties as a result of a lack of staffing, which included the 'Vultures' rapper's Sunday Service events and at his Yeezy warehouse. During that time, he alleged he was asked to place himself and paparazzi "in harm's way" by snatching cameras from waiting photographers.
Additionally, Benjamin claimed Kanye made “anyone associated with Donda dispose of books related to Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and other prominent figures in the Black community" and alleged he was paid less than non-Black employees "for no discernible reason".
The lawsuit accused Kanye of displaying a "stark difference" in the way he treated Black employees to other staff members and claimed he was “always abrupt, abrasive, and demeaning of Plaintiff and his Black counterparts.”
When the man complained about the pay disparity to his line manager John Hicks, he was told not to raise the topic with Kanye and shortly afterwards saw a "decrease in his paycheques", which his white colleagues didn't experience, and was told the rapper "can't afford security right now".
In April 2023, the 'Bound 2' hitmaker allegedly “unjustifiably and unreasonably began demanding that Plaintiff and others shave their heads,” despite Benjamin wearing his hair in dreadlocks “as an exercise of his Muslim faith.”
The document added: “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.
"Kanye began to become increasingly more aggressive, demanding [and declared] '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 plaintiff is seeking damages for the alleged discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, labour code violations and for attorney fees, as well as a “preliminary and permanent injunction, and a public injunction, against all Defendants, prohibiting them from owning and operating any type of educational school for minor children under the age of 18 years in the state of California.”
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Electronic music pioneer and producer Annie Elise says that the release of her first EP - 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' feels "both vulnerable and...
Though Derek and Hansel have left the world of fashion modelling behind them, a part...
This blending of the stoner bromance with the Christmas comedy works surprisingly well, layering gross-out...
Derek, Hansel and some other familiar faces are back in Zoolander 2! After offering their...
Ever since Chris, Ethan and Isaac were young, the trio of friends have always spent...
After a disastrous return to the fashion industry following his retirement, which almost ended in...
Made in America Festival is an annual music event founded by rapper and businessman Jay-Z...
DJ Peanut Butter Wolf set up independent LA label Stones Throw Records in 1996 and...
The legend of San Diego's Channel 4 news team may have long since dissolved over...
The news used to be a noble profession before the likes of Ron Burgundy with...
Ron Burgundy compares a Dodge Durango's horsepower to that of an actually horse before insulting...
Ron Burgundy, Brian Fantana, Brick Tamland and Champ Kind have now hit the eighties and...