Kanye West‘s former security guard Benjamin Deshon Provo is suing him over his alleged treatment of black staff at his Donda Academy.
What Happened?
The security guard, who is black and Muslim, alleged in a new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles court that the ‘Jesus Walks’ rapper and his management favored white staff and paid them at least $5 more.
Details of the Lawsuit
Provo explained in the lawsuit how the ‘Jesus Walks’ rapper also would walk around the school grounds and approached staff and students, demanding they all shave their heads, per DailyMail.
‘Notably, Kanye began to become increasingly more aggressive, demanding, ‘Alright y’all, it is time for you to shave your heads. I am not messing around,” according to the suit.
‘However, Plaintiff refused. Thereafter, Hicks approached Plaintiff and stated, ‘Kanye said, ‘Tell the one with the dreads to shave his head or he is fired.’ Plaintiff refused to shave his head, and as a result thereof, his employment was terminated.’
Kanye West Assaulting Paparazzi
He claims the rapper ‘required’ him and other guard to ‘snatch cameras from paparazzi, take their sim cards and provide them to Kanye.
‘Notably, this was a practice regularly engaged in by Kanye, who has a documented history of assaulting paparazzi,’ the suit said.
Provo also claimed West was continuously abrasive and demeaning to him and other black employees, while the rapper favored his white staff.
The affidavit includes a picture of West wearing a black hooded sheet resembling the while hoods worn by members of the Ku Klux Klan.
Said Ye Paid the Black Less
Provo claims when he brought up he was being paid less than white employees, Hicks allegedly responded, ‘Don’t bring up money to Ye. He doesn’t like to talk about money.’
Provo is not only suing West, but also Donda Academy and others for discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation and violation of various labor codes.
