Ye Hit With Racial Discrimination Lawsuit By Former Employee

April 28, 2024 497 42 4

Ye has been hit with a racial discrimination lawsuit from another former employee of fashion brand Yeezy and Donda Academy.

Ye Faces Accusations of Racial Discrimination

According to documents obtained by XXL, Ye is facing a lawsuit from another former employee of both Yeezy, his fashion brand, and Donda Academy, his failed school in California. In the 31-page suit, filed on Friday (April 26) in Los Angeles Superior Court, Benjamin Deshon Provo alleged Ye engaged in unfair labor practices and racial discrimination.

Provo, who is Black, alleged that he suffered discrimination, harassment and retaliation by Ye while employed as a security guard at Donda Academy. While working at the school, Provo claimed that members of his management team subjected him and other Black employees to less favorable treatment than their White counterparts. “Specifically, [Ye] frequently screamed at and berated Black employees, while in contrast, he never so much as raised his tone of voice toward White staff,” the lawsuit states.

Provo believed that he was specifically targeted because of his Muslim faith and his refusal to convert to Christianity on the direct orders of Ye, who is a devout Christian, and his management team. Provo also alleged that at the direction of Ye, he was given the ultimatum: cut his hair or be fired.

Provo was also required to perform security work on the weekend for Ye’s Sunday Service as well as at the warehouse where Kanye stored his Yeezy wear. While providing security for Ye, Provo claimed that he was required to engage in violent and dangerous tactics against the paparazzi. Additionally, Provo alleged that Ye also unjustifiably reduced his pay and paid him less than his non-Black counterparts.

Provo is seeking a jury trial and $35,000 in damages.

XXL has reached out to Ye’s rep for comment.

A Former Employee Claims Ye Wanted to Build Cages for Students

Provo’s lawsuit comes after another ex-staffer at Donda Academy filed a complaint against Ye alleging unfair treatment of students at the school.

Trevor Phillips previously worked for Ye’s Yeezy brand as well as Donda Academy before it was shut down. In his 42-page lawsuit, filed on April 2, Phillips claimed that Grammy Award-winning rapper-producer yelled “dangerous rhetoric” in front of Donda Academy students and allegedly told numerous students he wanted them to “shave their heads and that he intended to put a jail at the school,” telling them “they could be locked in cages.”

Additionally, Phillips, who is also Black, said Ye gave preferential treatment to White employees. He claimed Ye “treated the Black staff considerably worse than White employees” and that he’d “scream and berate Black employees, while never even as much raising his tone at the White staff.”

Phillips goes on to allege that Ye often expressed anti-semitic values in front of students and allegedly said in front of parents he “only likes to date White women,” while telling employees they’d be fired if anyone got fat.

Phillips is also seeking a jury trial and at least $35,000 in monetary damages.