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Kanye West sued for allegedly discriminating against black staff
Controversial American rapper Kanye West is facing a lawsuit alleging anti-black treatment by a former employee, Benjamin Deshon Provo, who worked at Donda Academy. Provo, employed as a security guard since 2021, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles, accusing West of disparaging black employees and terminating his employment for refusing to cut his dreadlocks, citing his Muslim faith as the reason.
In the lawsuit, Provo claims emotional distress resulting from West’s actions, including allegedly favoring white staff by paying them $5 more per hour than black employees. Additionally, Provo alleges that West banned books about Black history at Donda Academy, such as those featuring icons like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. These claims echo similar allegations made in a previous lawsuit by former Donda Academy teacher Cecilia Hailey, set to go to court in April 2025.
Provo’s lawsuit seeks damages for discrimination, a hostile work environment, retaliation, labor code violations, and other grievances. Notably, Kanye West had previously stirred controversy with comments suggesting his family is not “Black but Indian,” as seen in a viral video from a few months ago.