Former Kanye West guard Benjamin Deshon Provo has filed a lawsuit against the rapper, alleging unfair termination and discrimination against Black workers. Provo, who worked for West at various locations, including his private school Donda Academy and a Yeezy brand apparel warehouse, claims that he was subjected to discriminatory treatment and ultimately dismissed for refusing to trim his dreadlocks, which he wore as a symbol of his Muslim faith.
According to the lawsuit reported by People, Provo outlines instances of unfair treatment, wage disparities, and pressure to conform to West’s demands. He alleges that West frequently screamed at and berated Black employees, while White employees were treated differently. Provo’s direct manager, John Hicks, reportedly told him not to discuss money with West, leading to a decrease in his paychecks after raising concerns about wage gaps.
Kanye West faces a racial discrimination lawsuit, accused of forcing Black employees to choose between "cutting" their dreads or "be fired" and giving them "less favorable treatment than their White counterparts."
— AF Post (@AFpost) April 29, 2024
The lawsuit also alleges that "Kanye regularly expressed… pic.twitter.com/iwg6sY2OEg
Provo claims that West and Hicks pressured him to shave his head, with West allegedly becoming increasingly aggressive about the demand. Despite voicing his concerns about unfair treatment, Provo was met with dismissive responses and eventually terminated for defying West’s requests.
The lawsuit filed by Phillips also accuses West of suggesting building a jail on the school grounds, where students would be kept in cages. Phillips claims that his pushback against West’s bigotry and unlawful instructions made him a target for further harassment and ultimately led to a vulgar lashing in front of students and parents.
Thoughts?
