Ye reportedly claims his decision to fire a former Yeezy and Donda Academy employee for not cutting their dreadlocks is justifiable.
Ye Allegedly Says He Had Every Right to Axe Former Employee From Staff
According to court documents obtained by gossip magazineIn Touch on Monday (June 10), Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is allegedly asking for ex-employee Benjamin Deshon Provo’s lawsuit against him to be terminated.
Provo is under the impression that Ye fired him for not cutting his dreadlocks. In the31-page suit, which was filed at the Los Angeles Superior Court on April 26, Provo claims the rapper supposedly told him to chop his dreadlocks, or else he would be fired.
“Kanye and members of his management team required Provo to choose between these critical aspects of his self-identity and financial stability,” the lawsuit says. “Indeed, at the direction of Kanye, Provo was given the ultimatum, cut his hair, or be fired.”
Ye’s lawyer, however, argues that the rapper doesn’t feel his decision to fire Provo was wrong.
“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,” the statement reads.
Additionally, Ye allegedly denies he had authorized, directed or ratified any reported wrongful behavior. His lawyer contends that “the alleged conduct of Defendants was at all times undertaken in the good-faith exercise of a legitimate business purpose.”
XXL has reached out to Ye’s team for comment.
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Ye Accused of Racial Discrimination and More
In court documents obtained by XXL back in April, Provo filed a lawsuit against the Chicago rapper for reportedly engaging in unfair labor practices and racial discrimination.
Provo, who is Black, claims that Ye discriminated against him and his fellow Black employees as a security guard at Donda Academy. In Provo’s words, he and other Black employees were reprimanded more than White employees.
“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,” the lawsuit states.
Provo also believes he was singled out based on his Muslim faith and his refusal to convert to Christianity, which was demanded by the Yeezy business owner and his management team.
Furthermore, Provo says he was required to engage in violent and dangerous tactics against the paparazzi while doing security work on the weekend for Ye’s Sunday Service events and the warehouse where Kanye stored his Yeezy attire.
Provo is seeking a jury trial and $35,000 in damages.
