Kanye West, the controversial American rapper, is facing a lawsuit for alleged anti-black treatment. Benjamin Deshon Provo, a former employee at Donda Academy, has accused West of berating black employees and firing him for refusing to cut his dreadlocks.
In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, Provo, who worked as a security guard at Donda Academy since 2021, claims that he suffered "emotional distress" due to West's actions, including allegedly firing him for refusing to cut his hair due to his Muslim faith.
The lawsuit alleges that West had asked his staff to "shave your heads," and Provo refused due to his religious beliefs. Additionally, Provo claims that white staff members were paid $5 more per hour than black employees.
Provo further alleges that West had banned books about Black history at Donda Academy, including books about icons like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., an allegation also made in an April 2023 lawsuit by former Donda Academy teacher Cecilia Hailey, which is currently set to go to court in April 2025.
Provo is seeking damages for alleged discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, labor code violations, and other claims.
In a viral video a few months ago, Kanye West claimed that his family isn't "Black but Indian."