Kanye West called himself ‘Hitler’ and was abusive to ex-employee, lawsuit alleges
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Kanye West told a Jewish employee that he was a “Nazi,” compared himself to Adolf Hitler and fired her the day after she complained about his behavior, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles.
West — who now goes by “Ye” and made similar remarks during a hate-fueled series of posts on X last week before deactivating his account Monday — also repeatedly called the employee “ugly as f—” and a “bitch” before daring her to sue him, according to the 33-page complaint.
The suit seeks monetary damages and accuses West of discrimination, retaliation, creating a hostile work environment and breach of contract. The plaintiff filed the suit anonymously in order to protect herself, given West’s celebrity and status, according to her attorney, Carney Shegerian.
Emails to West and his attorneys seeking comment were not immediately returned Tuesday morning.
Two days before the suit was filed, West appeared in an awkward Super Bowl advertisement where he filmed himself rambling on a cellphone in a dentist’s chair while text appeared urging viewers to go to Yeezy.com. The website, which appeared to have been taken down Tuesday morning, was a blank page with the exception of a white T-shirt with a black swastika on it, labeled “HH-01,” which could be purchased for approximately $20.
In the years since his divorce from Kim Kardashian, West has spiraled from a perch as one of the most influential voices in fashion and hip-hop to a walking controversy dropped by his managers and record label after he engaged in erratic behavior that included courting attention from conspiracy theorists and far-right figures.
With partner Rihanna in court in support, Rakim Mayers — who raps as ASAP Rocky — faced testimony from his former collaborator, the alleged victim of a 2021 Hollywood shooting.
Since 2022, West has praised Hitler in an interview with Alex Jones, threatened to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE,” promoted antisemitic stereotypes including the idea that Jews control the music industry, and cuddled up to extreme personalities such as white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes.
The woman who filed suit said she was hired as a marketing specialist for West’s Los Angeles-based fashion and media brand, Yeezy, in 2023 and “quickly found success within her new role, landing Ye favorable business opportunities for his music, shoes and technology,” according to the lawsuit.
In January 2024, she suggested West issue a statement condemning Nazism following criticism that the cover of the album “Vultures 1,” a collaboration with Ty Dolla Sign, used a font style and artwork that has been appropriated by Nazis and white supremacist metal bands, according to the lawsuit.
“I Am A Nazi,” West wrote in reply, according to the lawsuit.
In another incident last June, the lawsuit alleges West criticized several Jewish employees over text message, complaining about how much money they made before adding “welcome to the first day of working for Hitler.”
The civil suit contains screenshots of text messages from a phone number listed as “Kanye West” or “Ye Private,” but does not corroborate that either phone number belongs to the artist. Shegerian said it would be “simple to show at trial” that West “communicated directly” with multiple employees from the phone numbers highlighted in the exhibits.
The day after the woman made complaints about West’s behavior, she was fired.
West’s newest album, “Bully,” is set to debut in June.
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