Kanye West Sued by Former Donda Academy Employee in Another Horrific Lawsuit

Once again, Kanye “Ye” West has been sued—this time, by yet another former employee of the rapper’s unaccredited Christian private school, Donda Academy.

On Tuesday, Trevor Phillips filed a lawsuit against West in Los Angeles Superior Court that alleges a new litany of bigoted and bizarre offenses—from whistleblower retaliation to discrimination based on race and a hostile workplace. Detailed within the 42-page complaint are a number of accusations that include West’s preferential treatment for white employees, violent temper tantrums, and “dangerous rhetoric.”

Phillips, the complaint reads, worked for West for nine months beginning in November 2022, after Ye’s fallout with Adidas and Gap due to his antisemitic tirades. While he was technically hired by West’s clothing and accessories line, Yeezy, his duties soon surpassed the sartorial and became managing projects related to the school. Despite the demands of the job—the filing claimed he was expected to be reachable 24/7—he allegedly was compensated sporadically and sometimes, less than his promised payment of $100 per hour.

During Phillips’ tenure at Donda Academy, he alleged that West began “spreading antisemitism” in school meetings and—on occasion—in the presence of students: “Phillips, on several occasions, witnessed [Ye] preach to his staff obscenities such as ‘the Jews are out to get me’ and ‘the Jews are stealing all my money.’ Fearing for their jobs and also to de-escalate [Ye’s] absurdities (so that the two present school children did not hear), the school staff did their best to ignore him.”

According to the filing, the situation swiftly escalated:

“[Ye] started to openly discuss how he only likes to date white women. Then addressing the two school children, Kanye told them that he wanted them to shave their heads and that he intended to put a jail at the school–and that they could be locked in cages. The staff quickly distracted the children, and escorted them out of the room.”

Later on in the suit, West is accused of spouting praise of Hitler, denials of the Holocaust, and threats of physical violence toward Phillips. However, one of the most absurd claims is from when West called a meeting with Phillips at the Nobu Hotel in Malibu. Instead of discussing business-related matters though, West allegedly went on a diatribe about how “gay people are not true Christians” then proceeded to ask the staff to play 2022’s The Batman on mute in the room.

Then, Phillips claimed, West laid on the bed and “began to make slow up and down motions with his hand just above his genitals as though he was masturbating” while talking about his sex life. Later, West FaceTimed an unnamed woman and told her to wear lingerie and shoes he’d bought for her. Phillips, the filing said, “immediately recognized the female’s name because only a few weeks earlier, while at the Yeezy headquarters.” West, Phillips claimed, showed nude photographs of her to “many” Yeezy staffers. Other reports have indicated West often showed nude photographs of women–including his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian–to employees in professional settings.

By May of the following year, West fired Phillips because he was allegedly unhappy with a garden Phillips was tending to. After West attempted to “pick up” the garden and destroy it, he also threatened to punch Phillips in the face then abruptly changed his mind. “Imitating the celebratory dance of Mario from the famous video game Super Mario Brothers, Kanye jumped up while punching one fist in the air, and said ‘I’m gonna give you one more chance. Another life!'” the suit reads.

The following day, Phillips was once again fired for, as West allegedly put it, not being “on the level.”

One year ago, two former teachers at Kanye West’s Donda Academy filed a lawsuit claiming the rapper and his private, Christian K-12 school “violated education, health and safety codes, terminated educators based on race and retaliation, and failed to fully pay teachers.” In July 2023, a second lawsuit was brought against the school, alleging serious health, safety and education code violations at the school.

Phillips is seeking $35,000 in damages. Neither West nor representatives from Donda Academy have publicly commented on the suit.