2 weeks ago
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Kanye West’s former employee demanded the musician appear for a deposition to be grilled about accusations he singled out the man for having dreads, In Touch can exclusively report.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Benjamin Deshon Provo, who started work as a security guard at Ye’s Donda Academy in April 2021, asked the court to order Ye, 47, to provide available dates for a deposition.
Benjamin said Ye has personal knowledge of the facts and circumstances of the case which include alleged discrimination, relation, violation of labor codes, wrongful termination, intentional infliction of emotional distress and various other claims.
The ex-employee said he has been unable to obtain dates from Ye or his team.
As a result, Benjamin asked the court to force Ye to appear and order sanctions in the amount of $1,760.
“As was pointed out above, Defendant [Ye] has failed entirely to appear for his properly-noticed deposition and has refused to provide alternate dates for the deposition. [Ye] has provided no justification for his actions,” Benjamin’s lawyers wrote.
As In Touch previously reported, Benjamin filed his lawsuit against Ye in Los Angeles Superior Court back in April. Benjamin said Ye “frequently” screamed at him during his employment. He said he suffered “severe emotional distress” as a result of the Ye’s behavior.
“Kanye and members of his management team subjected [Benjamin] and other black employees to less favorable treatment than their white counterparts,” the complaint alleged.
The lawsuit continued, “Specifically, [Ye] frequently screamed at and berated black employees, while in contrast, he never so much as raised his tone of voice toward white staff.”
Benjamin claimed that Ye singled him out for having dreads. “[Ye] and members of his management team required [Benjamin] to choose between these critical aspects of his self-identity and financial stability,” Benjamin’s lawyers wrote.
“Indeed, at the direction of [Ye], [Benjamin] was given the ultimatum, cut his hair, or be fired,” the lawsuit claimed. Benjamin said he was fired for refusing to cut his dreads.
In the suit, the ex-employee slammed Ye and accused him of banning books by important black leaders, including Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. from the school.
“Further, [Ye] regularly expressed negative beliefs associated with prominent Black leaders that advocated for or sought to advance the black community,” Benjamin’s suit read. In response, Ye and his company denied all allegations of wrongdoing and asked for the suit to be tossed.
Ye’s lawyers argued, “Defendants are informed and believe, and based on such information and belief allege that Defendants were justified in doing any and/or all of the acts alleged in the Complaint.” Ye denied he had authorized or directed any alleged wrongful behavior.
His legal team also told the court that “the alleged conduct of Defendants was at all times undertaken in the good-faith exercise of a legitimate business purpose.”
The rapper asked for the suit to be dismissed and his legal fees paid for by the ex-employee.
As In Touch previously reported, Ye was recently hit with a bombshell lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault.
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