'Severe Discrimination': Kanye West Reportedly Paid White Staff More and Ordered a Black Guard to Cut Dreads

Former security guard Benjamin Provo has detailed claims of severe racial bias in a discrimination lawsuit filed against Kanye West in Los Angeles. The former employee alleges that the musician systematically mistreated Black staff while running his now-closed Donda Academy school. The court filing claims that Black workers faced unequal pay, verbal abuse, and unfair workplace directives.

The legal action follows years of mounting public controversy surrounding the artist after a series of offensive online rants. Those social media posts eventually caused major commercial brands like Adidas and Gap to end their lucrative business partnerships. In the complaint, Provo references those past public statements to highlight what he describes as an ongoing pattern of hateful behaviour.

In the legal documents, Provo asserts that he experienced 'severe discrimination, harassment, and retaliation' while working at the private institution. The former security guard claims that management subjected Black employees to harsher treatment than their white counterparts on a regular basis. He alleges that the hip-hop star frequently shouted at Black personnel while treating white workers with far more respect.

Allegations of Pay Disparity and Unfair Demands

The lawsuit further claims that a distinct financial gap existed between employees of different racial backgrounds performing similar duties. According to the complaint, white staff members earned five dollars more per hour than Black staff doing comparable work at the school. The lawsuit alleges that this wage disparity created significant friction among staff before the educational facility eventually ceased operations.

According to the plaintiff's characterisation, working conditions inside the school devolved into an unstable environment as management handed down increasingly erratic operational requests. The lawsuit claims that a representative close to West delivered an ultimatum demanding that Provo shave his head completely. The representative allegedly informed him that West stated, 'Tell the one with the dreads to shave his head or he is fired.'

Provo refused to comply with the directive, citing that his dreadlocks carried vital religious and cultural meaning for him as a Muslim. He claims he was subsequently terminated, leaving him to choose between preserving his personal identity and maintaining his financial livelihood.

The suit argues that forcing employees to abandon cultural and religious expressions as a condition of employment violates fundamental labour protections. The complaint notes that former colleagues observed the tension created by such erratic directives throughout the school's short operating life. These alleged directives left many employees feeling completely vulnerable to sudden termination.

Target on Black Leaders and Civil Rights Books

The lawsuit also details alleged directives regarding the educational materials permitted inside the Donda Academy classrooms. Court filings state that West required anyone associated with the school to dispose of books concerning iconic civil rights figures. According to the complaint, literature about Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X was ordered out of the building entirely.

This is not the first time a former Donda Academy employee has brought forward severe allegations against the musician. Another former staff member named Trevor Phillips previously filed a separate lawsuit alleging similarly disturbing demands at the institution.

In his April 2024 lawsuit, Phillips claimed that West once suggested forcing all students to shave their heads as part of school policy.

The former staffer also alleged that West discussed plans to build an operational jail directly inside the school facility. These separate filings present compounding allegations regarding how the academy was managed day to day.

In response to the current lawsuit, legal representatives for West have contended in court filings that his past online outbursts should be disregarded completely. Defence attorneys argue that previous social media posts have no legal bearing on employment disputes involving school security.

They maintain that combining past public controversies with employment claims is merely an attempt to prejudice court proceedings.

Provo is seeking unspecified damages in excess of $35,000 for lost wages and emotional distress. The lawsuit adds another complex chapter to the ongoing legal and financial fallout surrounding West's business ventures. Representatives for West and Donda Academy did not immediately return requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.