Kanye West, now known as Ye, is being sued by a former worker from his fashion company, Yeezy. The worker, Murphy Aficionado, says Kanye made hurtful comments and created a very uncomfortable place to work. Aficionado worked at Yeezy for about nine months and is asking for a trial to settle his claims.
Aficionado says that soon after he started his job in October 2022, Kanye made offensive remarks. He claims Kanye made comments against Jewish people, saying things like, “The Jews got Kim [Kardashian] and my kids.”
Aficionado also says Kanye made fun of his Filipino heritage. He has tattoos called “Batok,” which are a traditional part of Filipino culture. According to Aficionado, Kanye called his tattoos “ugly” and told him to remove them. These comments made him feel insulted and disrespected.
Aficionado’s lawsuit also talks about strange and awkward moments during his time with Kanye. In one case, Kanye invited him to a work meeting at a hotel room in Beverly Hills. When Aficionado arrived, he noticed that Kanye and his girlfriend, Bianca Censori, had just been intimate. Despite this, Kanye asked him to stay in the room and even opened a door, exposing Censori’s nude body.
During the same meeting, Kanye showed Aficionado private photos of his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. At one point, Kanye put on a t-shirt with a swastika, a symbol linked to hate and racism, and asked, “Don’t you like my shirt?” Aficionado felt scared and worried about his job, so he simply replied, “It is definitely unique.”
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In another incident, Aficionado says he was called back to Kanye’s hotel room. This time, Kanye and a famous NFL player were both in towels, waiting for massages. Aficionado felt uncomfortable and offered to leave, but Kanye told him to stay. While Aficionado was trying to talk about work, Kanye reportedly engaged in sexual activity with his masseuse in the room.
These experiences made Aficionado feel very uneasy. He says he wanted to leave but stayed because he was afraid of losing his job.
In February 2023, Kanye asked Aficionado to help move his private school, Donda Academy, to a new place. Aficionado explained that they would need special building permits for this. Kanye got angry and did not want to wait for the permits.
By July 2023, a Donda Academy representative told Aficionado that the school was closing. Soon after, Aficionado found out he was no longer working for Yeezy. He says he was fired suddenly and unfairly. He also claims he did not get his last paycheck on time, causing him financial problems.
Aficionado is now suing Kanye and his companies. He wants to be paid for the financial losses and emotional stress he says he suffered. He is asking for unpaid wages, penalties for not getting his paycheck on time, and compensation for the distress he experienced.
Kanye West and his legal team have not yet responded to these claims. This lawsuit adds to Kanye’s recent controversies. He has faced backlash before for making offensive and antisemitic remarks.
This case raises important questions about how workers are treated, especially by famous people like Kanye West. If Aficionado’s claims are proven true, it could hurt Kanye’s businesses, like Yeezy and Donda Academy.
The lawsuit is still at the beginning, and more details may come out as it goes on. For Kanye, this legal battle is another problem at a time when he is already facing a lot of public criticism.
