Mr Provo said that he saw a difference in the way Kanye treated him and other non-black counterparts.
American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, has been sued by his former security guard for discrimination towards his black employees and wrongful termination. The lawsuit filed by Benjamin Deshon Provo on April 26 states that Ye subjected Black employees to “less favourable treatment than their White counterparts,” as per a report in People Magazine. Mr Provo worked as a security guard at both his private school Donda Academy and at a warehouse where the Yeezy brand clothing was stored. He accused the rapper of firing him for “refusing to cut his dreadlocks” and of “frequently screamed at and berated Black employees”
He started working for the rapper in August 2021 and then attended Donda Academy for six months. After the school relocated, he was “assigned additional job duties as a result of a lack of staffing” at the new location. In addition, he provided security for Ye’s Sunday Service events and his warehouse for Yeezy, as per the recent complaint filed on April 26.
Further, he claimed that Mr West demanded that “anyone associated with Donda dispose of books related to Martin Luther King, Jr, Malcolm X, and other prominent figures in the Black community.” The former guard said that he was directed to put himself and the paparazzi “in harm’s way” by grabbing cameras.
Mr Provo also observed “a stark difference in the way Kanye treated Plaintiff and other Black employees” in contrast to their “non-Black counterparts,” according to the complaint. It also claims that Mr West was “always abrupt, abrasive, and demeaning of Plaintiff and his Black counterparts,” and that he was paid less than non-Black employees “for no discernible reason.” The former security guard said that he was told to not “bring up money to Ye. He doesn’t like to talk about money,” by direct manager John Hicks. Shortly after raising concerns, the security guard alleged he had a “decrease in his paychecks,” something his non-Black coworkers did not go through. Mr Hicks informed him that Mr West “cannot afford security right now.”
The lawsuit also mentions that the rapper “unjustifiably and unreasonably began demanding that Plaintiff and others shave their heads,” despite Mr Provo having dreadlocks “as an exercise of his Muslim faith.” “As a result of Plaintiff’s non-compliance with Kanye’s demands that his head be shaved, Hicks and Kanye began to exert pressure on Plaintiff to do the same,” the complaint said. It added, “Kanye began to become increasingly more aggressive, demanding” by stating that “it is time for you to shave your heads. I am not messing around.”
It added, “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.”
Mr Provo is requesting a “preliminary and permanent injunction, and a public injunction, against all Defendants, prohibiting them from owning and operating any type of educational school for minor children under the age of eighteen in the state of California,” in addition to damages for alleged labour code violations, retaliation, discrimination, and hostile work environments.
