Kanye West Slammed with Sanctions, Forced to Face Grilling Over Discrimination Allegations as Divorce Drama Unfolds

Kanye West is set to face questioning under oath regarding allegations of discrimination and harassment made by a former Black employee, as well as speculation about his marriage to Bianca Censori.

On February 11, court documents revealed that a Los Angeles judge has mandated the 47-year-old rapper and fashion mogul, known as Ye, to appear in person for a deposition in connection with the lawsuit filed by his former employee, Benjamin Deshon Provo. Benjamin has been attempting to schedule this deposition for several months and has even sought sanctions due to Ye's failure to attend a previously scheduled deposition and his lack of proposed alternative dates.

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As reported by Lawyer Monthly, Ye parted ways with his former legal team in 2022, leaving him without representation until the hiring of new attorney Eduardo Martorell last month. Martorell contested Benjamin’s request to compel Ye’s deposition and for sanctions, arguing that they had agreed upon a deposition date of April 29.

However, Benjamin's team claimed that Eduardo misrepresented their agreement and failed to sign the stipulation for Ye’s deposition. Benjamin’s attorney expressed concern that Ye or his legal team might attempt to avoid the deposition or insist on conducting it virtually, particularly given Ye’s past behaviors during depositions. “Given [Benjamin’s] understanding of Ye’s behavior in past depositions, including instances where he wore a Halloween mask and engaged in other inappropriate conduct, [Benjamin] requests an order for him to appear in person,” the attorney stated.

During a recent hearing, the judge ruled that Ye must appear in person for his deposition by or before April 29. In addition, the court imposed a $500 sanction on Ye, which he must pay within 30 days.

Benjamin began working for Ye in 2021 as a security guard at Ye’s Donda Academy, after being introduced to the rapper through a mutual friend. Over time, he took on additional responsibilities, working at Ye’s Sunday Service and at the warehouse where Yeezy merchandise was stored. In his lawsuit, Benjamin accused Ye of discrimination and wrongful termination.

The suit alleges that Ye openly criticized Black authors and forced employees to discard books by influential Black leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The lawsuit claims, “Specifically, around mid-2023, Kanye mandated that anyone involved with Donda discard books related to Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and other significant figures in the Black community. Additionally, Kanye frequently voiced negative opinions about prominent Black leaders who advocated for the advancement of the Black community.”

Benjamin also alleged a stark disparity in treatment between Black and non-Black employees. “While Kanye was courteous and attentive to his non-Black colleagues, he was consistently abrupt, harsh, and belittling towards [Benjamin] and his Black peers,” the lawsuit states. Furthermore, Benjamin claimed that he was paid less than his non-Black colleagues without a valid reason and faced discrimination for wearing dreadlocks due to his Muslim beliefs. According to Benjamin, Ye began demanding in April 2023 that he and other employees shave their heads. Despite Benjamin’s objections, he claimed Ye and other supervisors pressured him further, leading to his termination.

Ye and his legal team have denied the allegations of misconduct. The defendants' lawyers responded, stating, “The actions taken by the Defendants were always carried out in good faith and for a legitimate business purpose.” They added, “The Defendants are aware and believe, based on this information, that they were justified in performing any and all actions mentioned in the Complaint.”

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In other news, rumors circulated earlier this week that Ye had ended his relationship with Bianca Censori, 30, and had consulted divorce attorneys. However, Ye’s representative, Milo Yiannopoulos, dismissed these rumors. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Yiannopoulos said, “Ye and Bianca are in Los Angeles, about to enjoy Valentine’s Day together. Announcements about their private life will come from them directly, not unsourced rumor in the tabloid press,” Milo said. “Is this the fifth or is it the sixth time the press has wrongly reported that Ye and Bianca are separating? I’ve lost track.”