Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is being sued by a former employee, Trevor Phillips, for discrimination and creating a hostile work environment. Phillips alleges that Ye made antisemitic comments, including praising Adolf Hitler and making derogatory remarks about Jews and gay people. The lawsuit claims that Ye treated Black employees at Donda Academy, his private school, worse than white employees. Ye’s major-label record deal was terminated due to his antisemitic remarks, putting his businesses at risk.
Phillips was initially hired by Ye to oversee projects related to making Yeezy, Ye’s fashion brand, self-sustainable by growing cotton and other plants. He later went on to work for Donda Academy, where he claims to have witnessed Ye making antisemitic comments. Ye allegedly accused the Jews of trying to freeze up his money and make him broke after Adidas ended their partnership over his public remarks. Ye also allegedly made homophobic remarks, saying he was targeting the gay community.
In a conversation at the Nobu Hotel in Malibu, Ye reportedly claimed that the Holocaust was fake, praised Hitler as an innovator, and said that Hitler was the reason cars were invented. Additionally, he allegedly expressed his intention to target the Jewish and gay communities, saying “FIRST the Jews, THEN the gays.” The lawsuit contains a screenshot of a text message where Ye compared his behavior to that of Hitler, minus the gas chambers.
The lawsuit also addresses Ye’s conduct at Donda Academy, where he allegedly told two children to shave their heads and mentioned his intention to install a jail at the school with cages for students. The lawsuit states that the staff quickly intervened and removed the children from the room. Donda Academy, founded by Ye, aimed to be a performing arts, design, architecture, farming, automotive engineering, and computer hardware and software school, with a focus on teaching the Gospel.
Ye released a statement in Hebrew last year apologizing to the Jewish community for any pain his remarks may have caused. Despite the controversies, his latest album, a collaboration with Ty Dolla Sign called “Vultures 1,” achieved major success. The lawsuit highlights private comments made by Ye, in contrast to the public remarks that led to the termination of his corporate deals. The current status of Donda Academy, which has been involved in other lawsuits from former employees, remains uncertain.
