Kanye West is facing two class-action lawsuits and could be hit with $ 30 million in damages for claims he mistreated and failed to pay up to 1,000 artists and backstage workers at his popular Sunday service shows.
The lawsuits relate to some 500 artists and 300 backstage employees who worked on the 43-year-old rapper’s extravagant shows, part of Christian worship and part of live performance that he has been leading across the United States since 2019.
Workers’ lawyers claim that during West’s first ‘opera’, Nebuchadnezzar at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in November 2019, he violated California’s strict labor laws for hundreds of artists and backstage crews, including hairdressers, even artists and costume designers, as well as actors hired to sit in the audience.
The allegations include failure to pay hundreds of employees on time, or ‘none’ in some cases, as well as failure to provide overtime, meals and breaks and business expenses to which they were legally entitled as state employees, rather than individual contractors.
West is estimated to face up to $ 30 million in damages if he challenges the lawsuits, a source told The Sun.
In August last year, West was also sued by MyChannel Inc., which claimed that West stole part of its technology for its Sunday service program after its employees worked on it, without pay, for six months.
Kanye West was hit by two collective lawsuits that could cost up to $ 30 million, claiming that he violated California labor laws when it came to hundreds of artists and backstage workers at their extravagant Sunday service shows, depicted on his show at Coachella 2019
West launched its Sunday worship programs, a mix of Christian worship and live performances, in January 2019 and took them all over the United States, including those portrayed in Miama in February last year.
West photographed performing his Sunday service during Paris Fashion Week in March last year
West hired hundreds of artists to participate in the shows, portrayed in the rapper and his collective in Chicago in February 2020
Some of the best known artists are his Sunday service choir
A lawsuit, filed by Los Angeles labor lawyer Frank Kim in August, focuses on artists, who number more than 500 people.
The other, presented by entertainment lawyers Harris & Ruble, revolves around a backstage team of about 300 people.
Hairstylist Raina Leon, who represents behind-the-scenes employees, said in documents filed in July last year at the California Superior Court in Los Angeles County, that West, as well as affiliated companies Live Nation Worldwide, Art Partner and producers, not paying her the $ 550 she owed for 120 days.
When she was paid, Leon claims that she and other employees were charged $ 20 to cash their own paychecks, resulting in a loss.
Michael Pearson, representing the collective action for the artists, states in documents seen by Mail US that he and other artists worked two days without a meal or rest and were paid $ 500 ‘regardless’ of the number of hours worked.
He also stated that some artists sat on the floor for ten hours a day because there were not enough chairs and that, although they were removed from their cars by buses, a return vehicle was not provided, so they had to walk back.
The process is suing for lost wages, over time, meal and rest breaks, as well as damages and legal action costs.
The entire class action can cost $ 1,000,000 per lawsuit.
Hairstylist Raina Leon posted a video on Instagram in which she revealed that she had joined the class action after claiming she was 120 days late and charged $ 20 to cash her $ 550 check
Hairstylist Raina Leon, who worked on Kanye West’s Sunday Service program in November 2019, claims she was 120 days late and then charged $ 20 to cash her own $ 550 check.
A lawsuit, filed by Los Angeles labor lawyer Frank Kim in August, focuses on artists, who number more than 500 people.
The other, presented by entertainment lawyers Harris & Ruble, revolves around a backstage team of about 300 people.
However, this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’, two sources told The Sun.
Kanye West hasn’t done anything to pay a bill in twenty years … he can’t put that on trial, like the jury can … just see a rich rapper robbing normal people
A legal source told The Sun
Lawyers are now tracking other alleged ‘victims’ of Kanye’s Sunday Service programs, and dozens are reportedly lining up to join the lawsuit, meaning the final count will be close to 1,000 people, the source said.
A legal source said: ‘They already have hundreds of people on board, but they are talking to many, many others, who want to be part of this. People are very upset about how they were treated, saying it is their worst experience. People in the process are asking their friends who worked at previous Sunday services and are taking the chance, want to get involved and talk about their horrible times.
Kim Kardashian West and her husband Kanye West are photographed leaving their Sunday service at the Theater Des Bouffes Du Nord during Paris Fashion Week in March last year. The couple is reportedly in the process of divorcing
Kim Kardashian West, North West, Kanye West and Pastor Joel Osteen portrayed answering media questions after the 11 am service at Lakewood Church on Sunday, November 17, 2019 in Houston, Texas
They added: ‘Now, it is about proving that Kanye is the employer and the responsibility ends with him. Now that there are others filing, the complaint will be modified and will have a wider scope. No one knows how much Kanye himself was involved, if he knew what was going on, since it was all last minute, it was terribly busy. Whether it was mismanagement, accidentally or on purpose, this is a very strong case. ‘
Another source told The Sun: ‘When you do things at the last minute, it’s disorganized, mistakes happen. When Kanye West does a production, he just says to his people, ‘Make it happen’, he has different teams of people to do things, and when you’re under so much pressure, you save. Anything with film or music production, they do the art first, it’s a case of ‘let’s do the production and worry about whether it’s cool later’. ‘
They added: ‘I’m sure Kanye West hasn’t done anything to pay a bill in 20 years, he expects people to take care of it. But Kanye cannot take this to trial, since the jury may not be Kanye fans and just see a rich rapper robbing normal people, he can settle for much less or be hit with a $ 30 million bill. ‘