Kanye West ‘fails to appear’ for lawsuit deposition after ex-staffer claims he ‘berated him for refusing to cut dreads’
KANYE West was more than 5,000 miles away in Tokyo when he was meant to be appearing for a court deposition in Los Angeles in one of his many civil cases, filings show.
The embattled rapper, who has been in Japan for weeks with his wife Bianca Censori, failed to give testimony under oath last month.
Kanye's ex-security guard Benjamin Deshon Provo is suing the star for racial discrimination and unfair practices.
Provo, who worked for his Yeezy fashion brand, along with his private school, Donda Academy, from 2021, first filed his suit in April.
He alleges he was berated and fired for refusing to cut his dreadlocks, while the star also allegedly demanded other staff and children shave their heads.
In a legal response, Kanye claimed his actions were "justified" and previously tried to have the case dismissed.
New court documents seen by The U.S. Sun read, "Defendant Kanye West has unilaterally failed to appear for his scheduled deposition on October 28, 2024.
"It is crucial that Provo's counsel obtain this deposition in a timely manner to ascertain all relevant, pertinent facts in this case to allow Provo to fully prosecute his claims and prepare for trial."
Provo's legal team is now moving for an order to compel Kanye to sit for the deposition with a hearing set for February 11 in Los Angeles.
"Provo will also move for an order awarding sanctions against Defendants in the amount of $1,760 to compensate Provo for his time and expenses in litigating the instant motion," the filing reads.
'NO RESPONSE'
On October 14, 2024, Provo properly noticed the deposition through the mail to Kanye's alleged counsel at an address in Pasadena, according to the filing.
The notice was also sent to his Yeezy HQ on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, which is currently gutted and under construction after Kanye had the roof removed.
But the 47-year-old dodged the deposition, and on October 30 "Plaintiff attempted to meet and confer with counsel for Defendant and the witness."
To date, they have not provided a response or any alternative dates, according to the filing.
The couple tied the knot under a "confidential marriage license" in the state of California.
The two wed in Palo Alto, California, according to the document.
The wedding came just one month after Kanye and Kim Kardashian finalized their divorce.
Provo's suit, which has a trial date set for 2025, is not the only case involving former staff at Donda Academy.
Ex-teacher Cecilia Hailey is suing the rapper along with former colleagues for wrongful termination.
Speaking exclusively to The U.S. Sun in an on-camera interview, she laid bare what it was allegedly like behind the walls of the secretive school in Chatsworth, a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles, in the months after Kanye's antisemitism scandal in November 2022.
Hailey, whose case also has a trial date set for next year, described the school as being more like a "zoo" and alleged any push-back on Kanye's wild demands fell on deaf ears.
She claimed Kanye wanted the children to learn to march and shoot guns, which was backed up by a second teacher involved in the lawsuit.
There is no indication that children at the school ended up marching or completed rifle training or that families who had to sign NDAs were aware of the plans.
Kanye and Donda Academy never responded to multiple requests for comment on the new claims, and the star denied any wrongdoing in the main lawsuit.
The U.S. Sun also requested comment from then-principal Moira Love, who did not respond.
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Hailey also alleged the school had a serious bullying issue and students would cower under tables as physical fights broke out, but she was not allowed to discipline the kids.
"There were armed guards outside, but the kids were not safe inside," she claimed.