Kanye West ex-staffer seeks up to $23M in discrimination lawsuit over dreadlocks
TheGrio...
Benjamin Provo alleges he was treated differently from white employees and fired after refusing to cut his hair. West denies the discrimination claims.
Benjamin Provo, a former security guard at Donda Academy, says he could be owed roughly $23 million in damages in his discrimination lawsuit against Kanye West and the school. The lawsuit follows another former employee’s allegations of anti-Black discrimination at Yeezy and Donda Academy, as well as a separate former employee lawsuit involving the organizations.
According to TMZ reports, Provo outlined the damages figure in new court filings as the case moves toward trial. Provo, who is Black, alleges West discriminated against him because he wore dreadlocks and fired him after he refused demands to cut his hair.
Provo’s 2024 lawsuit alleges Black employees were treated less favorably than white employees and that West yelled at Black workers. He also claims employees were ordered to shave their heads. According to the filings, Provo wore his dreadlocks for religious reasons.
The suit further alleges West removed books by prominent Black figures from Donda Academy. Those allegations have not been proven in court.
As part of the litigation, Provo’s attorneys deposed former West chief of staff Milo Yiannopoulos. According to filings cited by TMZ, Yiannopoulos testified that employees with “really thin skin about racially charged remarks” would have difficulty working in the company.
West disputes Provo’s version of events. In court filings, he has argued that Provo was not directly employed by him, but by a third-party staffing company. West has also denied firing Provo because of his dreadlocks and denied the discrimination claims.
The case has generated disputes over what evidence and defenses may be presented at trial. Provo has asked the court to prevent West from raising an “unsound mind” defense, while West’s attorneys have sought to exclude evidence concerning alleged mental unfitness. West has also sought to keep some past social media posts out of the trial.
Provo’s lawsuit is scheduled for a nonjury trial on Oct. 12 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.