Ye faces lawsuit over 'discrimination, wrongful termination' against Black employee
Controversial rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) is once again in the legal spotlight, this time due to a lawsuit filed by Benjamin Deshon Provo, a former security guard at Donda Academy, Ye's private school. Provo has alleged that he was subjected to frequent verbal abuse and racially motivated termination by the rapper, per Page Six. The complaint—filed on Friday—states that Provo suffered "severe emotional distress" until his dismissal for wearing a dreadlocks hairstyle.
Ye singled out Black employees for verbal abuse: Lawsuit
The lawsuit further alleges that Ye and his management team treated Provo and other Black employees less favorably than their white colleagues. It claims that Ye "specifically, frequently screamed at and berated black employees," while refraining from "raising his tone of voice toward white staff members." The accusations also include Ye ridiculing Provo for his dreadlocks, which he later refused to remove.
Provo was pressured to choose between 'self-identity' and 'financial stability'
Provo began working for Ye in August 2021 and dedicated six months to Donda Academy. When the academy relocated, Provo was given additional responsibilities due to "staffing shortages." The lawsuit suggests that Ye and his team pressured Provo into choosing between critical aspects of his self-identity and financial stability, referring to Provo's decision to keep his dreadlocks as an expression of his Muslim faith, which allegedly led to his wrongful termination.
Ye allegedly instructed Provo to 'dispose of books'
Further, the lawsuit alleges that Ye instructed Provo to dispose of books related to influential figures in the Black community like Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. He claimed Ye "regularly expressed negative beliefs about these Black leaders." These allegations mirror a previous lawsuit filed in 2023 by ex-Donda Academy teacher Cecilia Hailey, who accused the rapper of prohibiting black history books and wrongful termination. Ye is set to appear at an April 2025 trial for the same.
Adding to his legal woes, another employee filed a lawsuit
Earlier this month, a former employee of his Yeezy apparel brand and Donda filed a lawsuit against the rapper. Trevor Phillips accused Ye of "discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, retaliation against whistleblowing, and providing unsafe working conditions," among other allegations. The lawsuit alleges that "once Phillips pushed back against Ye's bigotry and instructions to violate the law...he responded mercilessly, with incessant harassment, humiliation, and attempts to both mentally control, and destroy Phillips." Phillips is seeking damages exceeding $35,000, reportedly.
