Kanye West has been sued by a former student of Yeezy and Donda Academy, who has alleged that the rapper threatened to “cage” students, according to court documents filed on April 2. The plaintiff, Trevor Phillips, was an ex-employee of West, and the suit he has brought contains numerous explosive allegations against the musician including verbal abuse, threats of physical violence, and comparisons to Hitler. Phillips’ accusations include claims that West said he wanted to shave students’ heads and lock them in cages while also frequently praising Hitler, and comparing himself to the Nazi leader on one occasion. West’s alleged behavior towards his staff is also included in the suit; Phillips states that West treated his black staff “considerably worse than white employees”, and told staff members that they could be fired for being “fat”.
Phillips had previously been hired by West to work on the “vertically integrated crew” for Yeezy, but was later transferred to Donda Academy after Adidas cut ties with the rapper due to his string of anti-Semitic behavior. According to the lawsuit, Phillips became the latest former employee to bring legal action against West, claiming that, even after losing his Adidas partnership, West “doubled down” on his anti-Semitic comments. The court documents also reveal that West fired Phillips during a tirade over a garden for which he was responsible and, in the suit, the plaintiff claims he pleaded with the musician to retain his job as he had a medical condition and that his daughter and little brother both attended Donda.
According to various news outlets, including Rolling Stone and Consequence, the lawsuit alleges that West once simulated masturbation during a one-on-one hotel room meeting, threatened to punch Phillips during a “temper tantrum”, and verbally abused his staff. The suit also claims that Ye temporarily delayed paying workers after his Yeezy bank accounts were frozen. Representatives for Ye and attorneys for Donda Academy have not yet publicly responded to requests for comment. The lawsuit seeks over $35,000 in damages for claims including discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination, among others.
While representatives for the musician have not yet responded to the allegations brought to light by Phillips, they have previously dismissed claims about Donda. In a past response from Ye’s lawyer, the former employees’ descriptions of the school were described as a “dystopian institution designed to satisfy Ye’s idiosyncrasies” while stating that “none of it is true, and the allegations do a disservice to the Donda Academy’s current staff and students and their parents who will attest to their positive experience
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