Kanye West, the controversial rapper and founder of Yeezy, is facing a lawsuit filed by a former employee, Trevor Phillips, who alleges severe discrimination, harassment, and retaliation at Donda Academy, a private Christian school established by West. The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, paints a disturbing picture of the school environment and West's alleged conduct.
Phillips, who initially worked on design-related tasks for Yeezy, was later assigned responsibilities at Donda Academy. According to the lawsuit, West allegedly expressed a desire to shave the heads of some students and even suggested the idea of installing a jail at the school. The suit also alleges that West shared anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in front of the staff and students.
In one incident, during a dinner at Nobu Malibu in December 2022, West allegedly made derogatory remarks about Jews, referring to them as "miserly" and praising Adolf Hitler as "an innovator." He also reportedly claimed that the Holocaust was "fake."
Phillips' lawsuit further alleges that West engaged in "incessant inappropriate conduct," including sexual harassment. The suit claims that West threatened the LGBTQ community, stating that tech mogul Bill Gates "controls" gay people. West allegedly proclaimed, "Yeah I’m going for the gays! FIRST the Jews, THEN the gays!"
The lawsuit also accuses West of discriminatory treatment towards his Black employees, alleging that he treated them "palpably worse than white employees.” In one instance, West reportedly ordered a black campus security guard to “shave his dreads” or lose his job. The guard allegedly chose to resign.
Phillips was terminated from his job in May 2023 during one of West's Sunday Services. His attorney, Carney R. Shegerian, said in a statement, "By filing this lawsuit, we hope our injured clients’ rights are vindicated, and that the famous artist Mr. West understands that his messages – which we alleged preach discrimination, antisemitism and Hitler-love – have no place in the world."
Phillips is seeking damages exceeding $35,000 and an injunction to prevent West from opening any type of school for children under the age of 18 in California. This lawsuit adds to the growing list of controversies surrounding West, who was previously accused of anti-Semitic actions during his first meeting with Adidas, according to a New York Times report.
Prior to this lawsuit, West had apologized to the Jewish community in Hebrew, a move that raised questions about his intentions. "I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any 'unintended outburst.' I did not intend to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused," West wrote in a since-deleted post on Instagram.
The lawsuit against West and the allegations it contains are yet to be proven in court. Representatives for West and attorneys for Donda Academy have not yet responded to requests for comment.
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