Kanye West accused of discriminating against black employees

Kanye West accused of discriminating against black employees

Kanye West's former bodyguard, Benjamin Provost, accused the rapper of racial discrimination. According to him, the musician treated black employees much worse than “their white colleagues.” Provo filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against his former boss on March 26, but this became known only now.

People writes that Benjamin worked at Kanye's private school Donda Academy and in the warehouse where the rapper stored clothes from his Yeezy brand, and also worked part-time at the musician's Sunday church services. At the same time, he was forced to put himself in danger, as he was required to take cameras away from reporters. Provost claims that he had personal encounters with West on more than one occasion, and these encounters were unpleasant because the rapper was always “abrasive, rude to black employees and treated them in a derogatory manner.”

Additionally, according to Provo's lawsuit, West paid blacks less for no apparent reason. Benjamin once complained about unequal pay to his immediate supervisor, John Hicks, and received the answer from him: “Don’t talk to Ye about money. He doesn't like to talk about money." Moreover, after Provo’s complaints, on the contrary, the salary was reduced.

Also, according to Benjamin, Kanye demanded that “everyone associated with Donda Academy get rid of books related to Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and other prominent figures in the black community,” and he himself was eventually fired for that he refused to shave off his dreadlocks, which were part of his Muslim identity.

This is not the first time Kanye has been hit with this type of lawsuit. Previously, another former Donda Academy employee, Trevor Phillips, alleged that West compared himself to Adolf Hitler, supported anti-Semitism and treated the school's black staff “significantly worse than white staff.” He also mentioned that West demanded that two students shave their heads. Prior to this, in September 2023, the renovator of the rapper's Malibu mansion accused the rapper of forcing him to work in dangerous conditions and sleep on the floor, and also not paying him wages.

Kanye’s scandalous statements, primarily anti-Semitic, had previously led to the rapper being “canceled” in the West; many large companies refused to cooperate with him. The rapper, who confessed his love for Hitler, criticized the “Jewish media,” and published on social networks an image of a swastika inscribed in the Star of David, had to make a public apology.

It recently became known that Kanye plans to open his own porn studio and Yeezy Porn brand.

More in the section Celebrity

Celebrity

Sydney Sweeney wears dark brown wig at Santa Monica Pier — fans ask 'Hannah Montana?'

Sydney Sweeney swapped her blond hair for a dark brown wig with bangs during a Santa Monica Pier outing — and some fans barely recognized her.

Celebrity

Joe Manganiello says Tom Cruise blocked his Reacher role over Sofía Vergara

The Magic Mike star claims his team suspected the Top Gun actor vetoed his Reacher casting due to Vergara's past with Cruise.

Celebrity

Jennifer Meyer married Geoff Ogunlesi in Hawaii — and ex Tobey Maguire officiated

Jennifer Meyer married billionaire Geoff Ogunlesi in Hawaii, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson and Courteney Cox among guests and ex Tobey Maguire officiating.

Celebrity

Meghan Markle shares rare clip of Archie and Lilibet strolling after U.K. move

Meghan posted a Sunday Instagram Story of Prince Archie riding a skateboard and Princess Lilibet walking beside him on a tree-lined path.

Celebrity

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce hold hands on NYC date night amid Ohio neighbor feud

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce held hands on a New York date night Friday as Ohio neighbors keep pressing complaints about their $5 million lakefront estate.

Celebrity

Meghan Markle's first U.K. appearance: afternoon tea with Malala Yousafzai

Meghan Markle reunited with Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai over afternoon tea at Claridge's in London, her first public appearance since returning to the U.K.

Celebrity

Kim Kardashian wears Elizabeth Taylor's 1969 'Scorpio' cape in All's Fair Season 2

Kim Kardashian wears the black velvet 'Scorpio Evening Cape' Elizabeth Taylor wore to Grace Kelly's 1969 birthday party for her All's Fair character.

Celebrity

Billie Eilish goes strawberry blond — her lightest hair in six years

Billie Eilish returned to Instagram with a shoulder-length strawberry blond, her lightest hair color in six years.

Celebrity

Kim Kardashian's pumpkin misspelled Kylie and Timothée as 'Kyle and Timothy'

Kim Kardashian shared a carved celebrity pumpkin that spells Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet as 'Kyle' and 'Timothy.'

Celebrity

Anne Hathaway is 'Team Letter' in Verity — and she doesn't trust Lowen or Jeremy

Anne Hathaway lands firmly on Team Letter in the Verity ending debate — and she says she doesn't trust Lowen Ashleigh or Jeremy Crawford.

Sport

Fake 49ers star Daejon Love gets a Netflix 'Untold' doc called 'Wide Deceiver'

Food

Chips Ahoy & Heinz made a spicy tomato cookie — and China can't stop raving

Entertainment

Taylor Swift's 13 most autumnal songs, ranked by Billboard — led by 'All Too Well'

Celebrity

Sydney Sweeney wears dark brown wig at Santa Monica Pier — fans ask 'Hannah Montana?'

Lifestyle

H Mart's first cookbook is out — and it's organized like the store's aisles

Travel

Houston wins Skytrax's Best Art in the Airport award for a 4th straight year

Sport

Lewis Hamilton's F1 Africa dream is on: Rwanda secures a 10-year Grand Prix

Food

Bon Appétit taste-tested 15 hot chocolate mixes — 3 actually won

Entertainment

Greta Gerwig's 'Narnia: The Magician's Nephew' trailer reveals Meryl Streep as Aslan

Celebrity

Joe Manganiello says Tom Cruise blocked his Reacher role over Sofía Vergara

Lifestyle

Zendaya's Tabi wedges and Jennifer Lawrence's clogs: 6 cozy-chic fall looks to copy

Travel

Florence Pugh names Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh her 'eighth wonder of the world'

Sport

Texans land Marvin Harrison Jr. in trade — and he reunites with C.J. Stroud

Food

Popeyes beat KFC in a weighed 8-piece taste test — by 121 grams of chicken

Entertainment

Taylor Swift's 'Patient Zero' rules the Hot 100 again — her 51st week at No. 1

Celebrity

Jennifer Meyer married Geoff Ogunlesi in Hawaii — and ex Tobey Maguire officiated

Lifestyle

Magnesium: 60% of adults don't get enough — experts say 300mg daily

Travel

Etihad Rail's Dubai–Abu Dhabi train: 64-minute ride, fares from Dh39

Sport

Paul George's Celtics debut: 30% shooting, but a game-high 5 steals

Food

Butterfinger's Hulk Green Apple Smash bar spotted ahead of Summer 2027 release