{"id":2146339,"date":"2026-09-15T17:40:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T14:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2146339"},"modified":"2026-09-15T17:40:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T14:40:21","slug":"kanyes-black-ex-employee-seeks-over-23m-for-alleged-discrimination-over-dreads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2146339","title":{"rendered":"Kanye&#8217;s Black Ex-Employee Seeks Over $23M\u00a0For Alleged Discrimination Over Dreads"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/4c\/16by9\/2026\/09\/14\/4c88ce8ac3b6424d892417bf35614d4e_xl.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"article article--permalink \">\n<header class=\"article__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article__header--headline-title\">Kanye&#8217;s Black Ex-Employee Seeks Over $23M\u00a0For Alleged Discrimination Over Dreads<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"article__header--headline-fragments\"><span class=\"article__header--hf1 text-uppercase h3\">Kanye West<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf2 text-uppercase h1\">Ex-Employee Seeking $23M &#8230;<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf3 text-none h2\">Discriminated Against Me Because I Have Dreads!!!<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"social-media-container\" role=\"region\">\n<ul class=\"social social--sm\">\n<li>\n<div class=\"media-swipe\">Exclusive<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\"><\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tmz.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"google-preferred-btn js-track-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"google-preferred-btn__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/static.tmz.com\/tmz-web\/img\/article\/google-icon.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"google-preferred-btn__title\">Add TMZ on Google<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/pages\/about\/\">TMZ Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"date-wrapper\">\n                                                                        Published <time class=\"published-datetime\" datetime=\"2026-09-15T10:40:21-07:00\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/sitemaps\/article\/202609\"><br \/>\n                September 15, 2026<br \/>\n                <\/a><br \/>\n                            10:40 AM PDT<\/time><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article__blocks clearfix\">\n<section id=\"cb-81ec94f48468bf20383aac0bf8d5dea5\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260914_4c88ce8ac3b6424d892417bf35614d4e\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:d2e4f25d-e420-4006-a428-f07f8a50ba7f\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/4c\/4by3\/2026\/09\/14\/4c88ce8ac3b6424d892417bf35614d4e_md.jpg\" alt=\"kanye west getty\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-beef5df87426d0c2bffaf7a4fae096e3\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/kanye-west\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Kanye West<\/strong><\/a>&#8216;s former employee, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/benjamin-provo\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Benjamin Provo<\/strong><\/a>, is laying out his case against the musician as he seeks an 8-figure sum &#8230; claiming he was discriminated against because of his hairstyle.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-48013eb92c0c1c802d9180d7ac5d8df3\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>In new court docs, obtained by TMZ, Benjamin says he believes he&#8217;s owed up to around $23 million in damages from Kanye and his Donda Academy &#8230; claiming he was fired for refusing to cut off his dreads.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-eebc0f48094a3ff3334f6abfb08d1617\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_png_20221130_8dc06cbd119b441aa2bb140410a586a7\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:d2e4f25d-e420-4006-a428-f07f8a50ba7f\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/8d\/4by3\/2022\/11\/30\/8dc06cbd119b441aa2bb140410a586a7_md.png\" alt=\"donda academy\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">Mega<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-e472b46b44750daababc721a4534e6f4\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Benjamin, a Black man, claims he faced discrimination while working at Kanye&#8217;s Donda Academy in 2022 &#8230; and alleges Kanye also removed all books by prominent Black leaders.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-b0ebb6dbdcd46d9e2c315ecd37aa1143\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>As part of the case, Benjamin says he deposed Kanye&#8217;s former chief of staff, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/milo-yiannopoulos\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Milo Yiannopoulos<\/strong><\/a>, who testified that if you have &#8220;really thin skin about racially charged remarks \u2026 this really is not the company for you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-50f91d997fceaa6af8895e1cf5c72dca\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260828_ce27bb60d6f34b908457ee100501b96c\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:d2e4f25d-e420-4006-a428-f07f8a50ba7f\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/ce\/4by3\/2026\/08\/28\/ce27bb60d6f34b908457ee100501b96c_md.jpg\" alt=\"kanye west yiannopoulos getty\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-7aa73492bcb775bf2d5f7006250a6b89\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>He says Milo added, &#8220;If you&#8217;re working at Yeezy between 2023 and 2024, you must accept the provocative way Ye talked about religion.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-030e64b45ed1a9daa28876403009220f\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  canvas-block-is-last \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>In his own docs, Kanye argued Benjamin was not his employee but rather the employee of a third-party company he used to hire employees.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<ul class=\"social social--permalink\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--facebook js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/15\/kanye-west-former-staffer-seeks-millions-in-discrimination-lawsuit\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:d2e4f25d-e420-4006-a428-f07f8a50ba7f\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;facebook-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:1}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--x js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/15\/kanye-west-former-staffer-seeks-millions-in-discrimination-lawsuit\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:d2e4f25d-e420-4006-a428-f07f8a50ba7f\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;twitter-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:2}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on X<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section 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            <\/a><\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/15\/kanye-west-former-staffer-seeks-millions-in-discrimination-lawsuit\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/4c\/16by9\/2026\/09\/14\/4c88ce8ac3b6424d892417bf35614d4e_xl.jpg&#8221;] Kanye&#8217;s Black Ex-Employee Seeks Over $23M\u00a0For Alleged Discrimination Over Dreads Kanye WestEx-Employee Seeking $23M &#8230;Discriminated Against Me Because I Have Dreads!!! Exclusive Add TMZ on Google By TMZ Staff Published September 15, 2026 10:40 AM PDT Getty Kanye West&#8216;s former employee, Benjamin Provo, is laying out his case against the musician as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,77],"class_list":["post-2146339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tmz-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2146339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2146339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2146339\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2146339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2146339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2146339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}