Kanye West faces a major legal fight tied to his former school, Donda Academy. Benjamin Provo, who previously worked at the facility, alleges that he was discriminated against based on his appearance. He is now seeking millions in damages from West and the academy. The case focuses on the claims surrounding his dreadlocks and refusal to cut them.
Former Donda Academy employee Benjamin Provo alleges discrimination over his refusal to cut his dreads
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Provo says he could receive about $23 million in damages. He says he was fired by West because he refused to cut his dreads. Provo, who is Black, says he experienced discrimination while working at Donda Academy in 2022.
The allegations also cover issues relating to the books that are available at Donda Academy. Provo says West removed books by prominent Black leaders from the school.
Provo also discussed testimony from Kanye’s former chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos. In a deposition, Provo says Yiannopoulos said, “if you have ‘really thin skin about racially charged remarks … this really is not the company for you.’” Yiannopoulos also said, “If you’re working at Yeezy between 2023 and 2024, you must accept the provocative way Ye talked about religion.”
West has pushed back against Provo’s claims in his own court documents. The rapper argues that Provo did not work directly for him. Instead, West says a third-party company employed Provo and supplied his services. That argument challenges Provo’s position that West and Donda Academy owe him damages.
Now the dispute pits Provo’s claims against West’s defense. Provo says his refusal to change his hairstyle led to his firing and discrimination claims. He is seeking an eight-figure payout that could reach about $23 million. Kanye West, meanwhile, disputes the employment relationship described in Provo’s case.
This story originally appeared on Realitytea
