The controversial 'Jesus Is King' rapper has reached a settlement in his high-profile legal dispute with a former Yeezy design assistant who accused him of violating labor laws.
- June 3, 2024
AceShowbiz - After years of legal wrangling, Kanye West and his ex-Yeezy employee Taliah Leslie have reached a settlement in a lawsuit over alleged labor code violations. Court documents reveal that an agreement was finalized in March this year, putting an end to Leslie's claims of unpaid overtime, misclassification, and various travel reimbursements.
Leslie had accused West and Yeezy of failing to comply with California Labor Code requirements by misclassifying employees as independent contractors. This misclassification, she claimed, deprived her and other staffers of wages, benefits, and reimbursements for work-related travel and communication expenses.
Specific allegations included unpaid work for mandatory trips to locations like Cody, Wyoming, and Paris, France, as well as lack of compensation for additional expenses linked to cell phone and internet usage.
Legal documents indicate that, "as part of the settlement agreement, the parties agreed that Plaintiff Leslie would file a second amended complaint to add Shelby Grotowski as an additional plaintiff and add putative class action allegations for purposes of settlement." A dismissal hearing is scheduled for August 13, after which West can consider this particular legal issue resolved.
The court filings also reveal that West, who has recently made headlines for his controversial statements and business ventures, dropped his former attorney, London Meservy, just days after reaching the settlement agreement.
Meservy's dismissal was followed by the resignation of Milo Yiannopoulos, West's longtime Chief of Staff, reportedly over disagreements concerning West's plan to enter the adult film industry.
However, this settlement does not mark the end of West's legal woes. He still faces a $1 million lawsuit from another ex-employee who accused him of compelling him to sleep in makeshift conditions outside his unfinished Malibu mansion while working as security.
Beyond legal disputes, West clashed with his former trainer Harley Pasternak. Pasternak, who previously threatened to "drug Ye to Zombieland," was accused by the rapper of the mastermind behind his previous hospitalization.
"What should be obvious by now is that I was raised to stand for my truth regardless of the consequences. So I will say this again I was mentally misdiagnosed and nearly drugged out of my mind to make me a manageable well well-behaved celebrity," Kanye said.
In light of these developments, it remains to be seen how West will navigate his remaining legal issues and whether future allegations will emerge against the already embattled rapper.