Accusations have been made against Kanye West, now known as Ye, and Milo Yiannopoulos, claiming that they exposed their app development team to "forced labor and cruel inhuman, or degrading treatment."
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, alleges that the rapper-mogul and controversial figure hoped to create an app that would rival Tidal and other streaming platforms.
Kanye West Sued for 'Unpaid Wages' and 'Racist Environment'
Ye is currently involved in yet another legal dispute. West, together with his Yeezy brand and the former head of staff, is facing a lawsuit filed by eight former employees. These individuals allege that they experienced unacceptable levels of harassment and discrimination.
A lawsuit of significant scale was recently filed in the district court of the Central District of California on Saturday (June 29). According to Billboard, some of the individuals involved in the case allege that they were underage, with some as young as 14, when they were employed at Yeezy.
A diverse group of young individuals, aged 14 to 25, arrived at Yeezy from various parts of the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Hungary, and Nigeria.
However, the plaintiffs claimed that they were subjected to excessive hours of work in a working environment that was segregated, with Black and African employees being separated and given less desirable tasks.
Allegations were made that the rapper's managers, who happen to be white, used derogatory language towards workers from foreign and minority backgrounds, resulting in a hostile work environment.
According to reports, certain managers have been accused of using derogatory language in group chats, targeting workers based on their age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and national origin. Some individuals were reportedly referred to as "slaves" or "new slaves."
Ye's Wife Bianca Censori Sent Porns to Yeezy Staff
In addition, Yiannopoulos faced allegations of sending a message containing a Black/brown skin tone emoji to a Black employee, along with derogatory remarks towards a younger worker.
Additionally, it was alleged that West's spouse, Bianca Censori, distributed explicit adult content to employees, some of whom were underage. It is claimed that she shared the link after West's announcement of his new venture, Yeezy Porn, in late April. She has not been listed as a defendant, TMZ reported.
Based on the document, the developer group was offered a payment of $120,000 by Yiannopoulous once the app was completed, provided they agreed to the work conditions and refrained from complaining.
However, it is reported that West then insisted that the employees sign NDAs, using the threat of termination and withholding pay as leverage to ensure compliance. There are reports suggesting that even minor employees were required to sign agreements labeled as "volunteer" agreements.
According to the lawsuit, one of the completed apps was presented to the rapper on May 1. It remains uncertain which particular app was featured, but West and Yiannopoulous failed to compensate the employees for their efforts.
The developers have chosen to take legal action against the pair, seeking compensation for unpaid wages, overtime pay, and emotional distress.
This is just the most recent lawsuit filed against the rapper regarding subpar working conditions. At the start of this month (June 4), a lawsuit was filed against him by his former assistant, alleging sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
West vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing them as unfounded, and vowed to take legal action in response.
In April, a former security guard at the Donda Academy accused the artist of racial discrimination, claiming that Black employees were treated less favorably than their White counterparts.
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