The controversial rapper is facing a court battle
The lawsuit was filed by Benjamin Deshon Provo, who previously worked on West’s security staff at
both his private school Donda Academy and at a warehouse where the creative stored his Yeezy
brand clothing.
The security guard has alleged that West “frequently screamed at and berated black employees” and
terminated his employment because he refused to cut his dreadlocks.
The complaint was filed on April 26 in Los Angeles, which confirms Provo worked with the ‘Stronger’ songwriter from August 2021 and spent six months at the Donda Academy, which is named after his late mother. He is seeking damages for alleged discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, labor code violations and for attorney fees.
It is claimed he was forced to take on extra duties due to a lack of staff and carried out other security detail duties for West at his Yeezy warehouse. He also alleges that he was instructed to snatch cameras away from the paparazzi.
Provo also claims he noticed “a stark difference” in the way his boss treated him and other black employees compared to their “non-black counterparts”. It also alleges he was paid less than non-Black employees “for no discernible reason”, describing West’s behavior as “always abrupt, abrasive, and demeaning of plaintiff and his black counterparts”.
Kanye West facing a legal headache
It is not the first time he has faced a lawsuit from a former employee within his Yeezy business venture, with another unnamed former worker claiming they suffered “severe discrimination” while performing a similar role to Provo.