Ye Faces Lawsuit from Former Employee Over Alleged Antisemitic Behavior Leading to Hostile Work Environment
The rapper and entrepreneur Ye, previously known as Kanye West, is being sued by a former employee.
A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, which was revealed by YSL News on Friday, claims that Murphy Aficionado accuses Ye of fostering a hostile workplace. The suit includes allegations of discrimination, retaliation, violations of labor laws, unpaid wages, and wrongful termination. Ye’s company, Yeezy, as well as the now-closed Donda Academy, are also named as defendants.
Aficionado asserts that Ye’s “antisemitic tirades and conspiracies were a daily occurrence” in the workplace, and he claims that Ye retaliated against him for not proceeding with construction on Donda Academy due to a lack of necessary permits.
William Reed, Aficionado’s attorney, stated to YSL News, “This lawsuit reflects the public’s growing awareness of Ye (f/k/a Kanye West) and his continued expressions of hatred and antisemitism, along with his blatant disregard for the women around him.
“Through this lawsuit, we seek to uphold our client’s rights and demonstrate to Ye that such conduct is unacceptable in our society. We eagerly anticipate Mr. Aficionado’s day in court.”
YSL News has reached out for comments from Ye’s representatives.
Aficionado Claims Ye Made Antisemitic Remarks Regarding Kim Kardashian
Aficionado, who worked as a project manager on various construction tasks for Ye for about nine months starting on October 26, 2022, claims he was not compensated during that period, despite an agreed salary of $125 an hour.
Among the incidents Aficionado reported during his employment, he alleges Ye wore a shirt featuring a swastika and provocatively asked, “Don’t you like my shirt?” He also claims Ye made derogatory comments about Jewish individuals manipulating his former spouse, Kim Kardashian, echoing harmful antisemitic stereotypes about Jewish control of the media and entertainment sectors.
Additionally, he alleges that on two occasions, Ye insisted he remain in a hotel room to listen to his sexual activities happening next door. Aficionado also states that Ye remarked that his traditional Filipino tattoos were unattractive and should be removed.
One of Aficionado’s legal representatives, Carney R. Shegerian, is also acting on behalf of Trevor Phillips, who filed a lawsuit in April claiming Ye engaged in discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Phillips alleged that during his nine-month tenure at Yeezy and Donda Academy, he was targeted by Ye after opposing his bigoted views and illegal directives.
Phillips stated he observed Ye express hatred, utter antisemitic tropes, threaten the LGBTQ+ community, and on at least one occasion, nearly expose himself, according to the lawsuit.
Ye’s History of Racist and Antisemitic Views
In October 2022, Ye faced criticism for appearing at a surprise Yeezy event during Paris Fashion Week while wearing a black shirt that stated “white lives matter.” The slogan is linked to white supremacist ideologies, with organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center classifying the White Lives Matter movement as “a neo-Nazi group” and a racist response to the civil rights movement encapsulated in Black Lives Matter.
Shortly thereafter, Ye tweeted that he would soon be going “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” and accused them of trying to silence him. As a result, he was banned from Twitter and Instagram for violating their terms of service.
Despite facing backlash, Ye reiterated his antisemitic views during various media appearances, although he did express regret for the pain and confusion caused by his comments.
The Anti-Defamation League condemned Ye’s statements, claiming they have caused immeasurable harm by spreading antisemitism and hate using his significant public platform.
Ye’s controversial remarks led to the loss of numerous endorsement deals, including a notable partnership with Adidas, which ultimately ended its relationship with Yeezy. Following lengthy legal battles regarding this decision, it was reported in October that they reached a non-monetary settlement.
In December, Ye issued an apology in Hebrew and sought forgiveness for any unintended offense caused by his actions or words.
“It was not my intention to offend or disrespect,” he wrote, expressing a desire to learn from this situation “to foster greater sensitivity and understanding moving forward.”