Kanye West is facing a potential eight-figure damages claim from a former Donda Academy employee who alleges he was discriminated against because of his hairstyle.
Benjamin Provo, a former employee connected to Kanye’s now-shuttered school, says he could be owed up to approximately $23 million in damages from Kanye and Donda Academy, according to new court documents obtained by TMZ.
At the center of Provo’s case is his claim that he was fired after refusing to cut his dreadlocks.
Provo, who is Black, also alleges that he experienced discrimination while working at Donda Academy in 2022. Among his claims, he says Kanye removed books by prominent Black leaders.
The case has also brought testimony from Kanye’s former chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, into the spotlight.
According to Provo’s court filings, he deposed Yiannopoulos, who testified that people who were especially sensitive to racially charged remarks might find the company unsuitable for them.
Yiannopoulos also testified, according to the filing, that employees working at Yeezy between 2023 and 2024 had to accept Kanye’s provocative approach to discussing religion.
Kanye has disputed a key part of Provo’s employment claim. In his own court filings, Kanye argued that Provo was not directly employed by him, but instead worked for a third-party company used to hire employees.
That disagreement now sits at the center of the broader legal fight as Provo pursues damages that could reach roughly $23 million.
The allegations remain claims made in court, while Kanye has pushed back by challenging the nature of the employment relationship itself — setting up a dispute over both what happened at Donda Academy and who may ultimately bear responsibility.
