Kanye “Ye” West is being sued by a former Yeezy and Donda Academy employee named Trevor Phillips. In his lawsuit, Phillips alleged that he was subjected to a hostile and discriminatory workplace by West after he began working for the rapper in late 2022.
Learn more about West’s lawsuit below.
Phillips accused West of discrimination and harassment while working at his school. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Phillips’ attorney explained why his client wanted to work for West. After the “Jesus Walks” rapper created his Donda Academy, Phillips saw it as a positive career move for himself having worked at Yeezy.
“Kanye represented the possibilities of what a Black man could accomplish in America: achievement, recognition and financial freedom — truly, the American Dream,” Phillips’ legal team said in the paperwork. “With this in mind, Phillips passionately dove into his work.”
Phillips’ lawyers argued that West was racist to his Black staff rather than his white staff. Moreover, Phillips alleged that he witnessed West convey “discriminatory conspiracy [theories] of Jews” during meetings at his Donda Academy.
“It was immediately apparent to him, and others, that Kanye treated the Black staff considerably worse than white employees,” the court documents read, per the outlet. “Even when class was in session, Kanye would scream and berate Black employees, while never even as much raising his tone at the white staff. Often, Kanye targeted Phillips — a Black man — not just with this disparate and harassing behavior, but complete and utter disdain.”
Phillips worked at Donda Academy for nine months.
Kanye West, also known as Ye, is facing a lawsuit from his former employee Trevor Phillips, who used to work at his Yeezy and Donda Academy. Phillips claims that he experienced a hostile and discriminatory workplace environment while working for West starting in late 2022.
Phillips alleged that West discriminated against and harassed him while he was working at the school. He believed that working for West would be a positive career move after having worked at Yeezy. Phillips’ legal team stated that he was inspired by West as a successful and influential Black man in America.
According to Phillips, West treated his Black staff poorly compared to his white staff and even expressed discriminatory views about Jews during meetings at the academy. Phillips claimed that West would yell and mistreat Black employees while treating white employees with respect.
Despite these allegations, Phillips worked at Donda Academy for nine months.
