A new lawsuit claims that Kanye West created an app to promote his music while fostering a racist and brutal work environment. The suit also alleges that his wife, Bianca Censori, sent pornographic videos to staff, accessible to minors.
Filed in a U.S. District Court, the lawsuit names Kanye and his former chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, as defendants. It accuses them of "forced labor and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment." They allegedly made false promises to pay both adult and minor employees, forcing them to work excessively long hours while subjecting them to racist insults and calling them "new slaves."
The situation began in Spring 2024, when Kanye launched the YZYVSN streaming service app to rival Tidal, Spotify, and Apple Music, aiming to promote his new albums, "Vultures" and "Vultures 2," without paying these platforms. Kanye and Milo allegedly hired an international developer group that included Black members and underage teens as young as 14.
According to the lawsuit, employees worked remotely and communicated with Kanye, Milo, and their team via platforms like Discord, Zoom, and Slack. In April 2024, Milo promised to pay the developer group $120,000 upon completing the app, provided they agreed to the work conditions and did not complain.
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However, the situation deteriorated. Kanye allegedly forced all employees to sign non-disclosure agreements, threatening to fire minors and withhold payment if they did not comply. Minors were also required to sign "volunteer" agreements.
White managers overseeing foreign and minority workers allegedly used racist and harassing language, creating a hostile work environment. In group chats, these managers made disparaging remarks about age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and national origin. Some employees were called "slaves" and "new slaves."
Milo reportedly sent a Black/brown skin emoji to an African American team member and called a younger worker a "school shooter." Employees were also bullied into working long, unpaid hours through the night.
In late April, Kanye announced the launch of an adult film business called "Yeezy Porn." Bianca Censori allegedly sent a file-sharing link containing explicit videos to a worker, which minors developing the app were not shielded from.
On May 1, 2024, after an intense rush to complete the app, the team presented Kanye with a finished product, though it is unclear which app. Kanye and Milo allegedly did not pay the employees for their work, prompting the lawsuit seeking damages for unpaid wages, overtime, and emotional distress.
Attempts to reach Kanye and Milo for comment have so far been unsuccessful.
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