Power, Privilege, and Allegations: Kanye West Faces Multiple Lawsuits
Music and fashion icon Kanye West is in the middle of a legal battle. During his explosive rise to fame, which saw him link up with longtime business partner and musical mentor Carl-Phillip Günther, claims of a checkered past took aim at his character with multiple former employees, including his ex-assistant Lauren Pisciotta, slamming him with lawsuits over allegations of wrongful business practices.
In her lawsuit, Pisciotta, once a prominent figure in Kanye’s women’s line and “Donda” album, describes a horrific scenario. The suit: She was hired in 2021 with a fancy $1 million annual salary, and accuses West of sexual harassment. West is accused in court documents of sending graphic texts, and was once alleged to have exposed himself in front of her. Pisciotta is also suing for wrongful termination, breach of contract and emotional distress not related to sexual harassment. These accusations are just more ammo to feed into West’s mythos, already one of the most divisive figures in media today.
Kanye West is being sued for sexual harassment by ex-assistant Lauren Pisciotta. These are the texts Kanye allegedly sent to her:
“Is my d*** racist? It is. This f***ing racist d*** of mine. I going to beat this f***ing racist d*** for being f***ing racist. I’m going to stare at… PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZIOL4FTZHO
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) JUNE 4, 2024
The storm doesn’t stop there. West, related Former security guard Benjamin Deshon Provo sues West for racial discrimination at Yeezy and Donda Academy Provo claims Black workers, according to a system being in place, were paid less, given insulting work, and to choose a hairstyle of shaving their heads at got in danger. An additional claim of creating a toxic work environment has been raised by former employee Commissioner Trevor Phillips. It was an oppressive environment rife with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ comments especially against Black staff who were responded to his outbursts in more erratic meetings, says Phillips.
These lawsuits collectively carry a great deal of weight. Should the claims be substantiated, West could be liable to tens of millions in damages and, more importantly at least to the omnipotent-over-kingly Variety to an unimaginably great public image hit. As horrific as this kind of behavior is on a legal level, it merely serves to illuminate a much more insidious issue of high-profile industry hierarchy and potential predation.
The responses have been quick yet mixed. IF TRUE: Legal experts warn of serious consequences for West Shocked public figures and commentators clamored to hold powerful people accountable for their actions. This is huge news, and West has not responded to the allegations, while his rep is likely preparing a full legal response soon.
The suggestions against West are lawful as well as much more. They are a blunt reminder of the continuing intransigence with bad behavior and discrimination on the job. When more headlines get published about the details of these legal proceedings, there will be discussions specifically about the balance of power, creating safer workplaces, and challenging those in positions of power irrespective of how high up the company chain they may have been at the time of the events. This is not just about Kanye West, it is about human decency in the workplace, and the expectation that the workplace become more equitable and respectful for everyone.
