Kanye West is facing two class-action lawsuits and could be hit with $30 million in damages over claims he mistreated and failed to pay up to 1,000 performers and backstage staff at his popular Sunday Service shows.
The lawsuits relate to around 500 performers and 300 backstage staff who worked at the 43-year-old rapper’s extravagant, part Christian worship and part live performance shows that he has been taking across the US since 2019.
Lawyers for the workers claim that during West’s first ‘opera’, the ‘Nebuchadnezzar’ at The Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles, in November 2019, he violated strict employment laws in California for hundreds of performers and backstage crew including hair stylists, make-up artists and costume designers, as well as actors hired to sit in the audience.
Allegations include not paying hundreds of employees on time, or ‘at all’ in some cases, as well as not granting the overtime wages, meal and rest breaks and business expenses to which they were legally entitled as employees in the state, rather than individual contractors.
It is estimated West could face up to $30 million in damages if he contests the lawsuits, a source told The Sun.
In August last year, West was also sued by MyChannel Inc. who claimed that West stole some of its technology for his Sunday Service show after its employees worked on it, unpaid, for six-months.
Kanye West has been hit with two class action law suits that could cost him up to $30million claiming that he violated California labor laws when it came to hundreds of performers and backstage staff at his extravagant Sunday Service shows, pictured performing with his show at the 2019 Coachella
West launched his Sunday Service shows, a mixture of Christian worship and live performance, in January 2019 and has taken them across the US, including pictured in Miama in February last year
West pictured performing his Sunday Service during Paris fashion week in March last year
West hired hundreds of performers to take part in the shows, pictured in the rapper and his collective in Chicago in February 2020
Some of the most recognisable performers are his Sunday Service choir
One lawsuit, filed by LA employment lawyer Frank Kim in August, concentrates on the performers, which totals over 500 people.
The other, filed by entertainment attorneys Harris & Ruble, centres on behind-the scenes staff of around 300 people.
Hair stylist Raina Leon, representing the backstage employees, claimed in documents filed in July last year at The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, that West, as well as affiliate companies Live Nation Worldwide, Art Partner, and producers, did not pay her the $550 she was owed for 120 days.
When she was paid, Leon claims that she and other employees were charged $20 to cash their own pay checks, resulting in a loss.
Michael Pearson, representing the class action for the performers, claims in documents seen by Mail US that he and other performers worked two days without meal or rest breaks and were paid $500 ‘regardless’ of the number of hours worked.
He also claimed some performers sat on the floor during ten-hour days because there were not enough chairs provided and that although they were collected by shuttle from their cars, a return vehicle was not provided so they had to walk back.
The lawsuit is suing for lost wages, over time, meal and rest breaks as well as damages and the cost of the legal action.
The entire class action could cost $1,000,000 per law-suit.
Hairstylist Raina Leon posted an instagram video in which she revealed she had joined the class action after she claimed she was paid 120-days late and charged $20 to cash her $550 pay check
Hairstylist Raina Leon, who worked on Kanye West’s Sunday Service show in November 2019, claims she was paid 120-days late and then charged $20 to cash her own $550 pay check
One lawsuit, filed by LA employment lawyer Frank Kim in August, concentrates on the performers, which totals over 500 people.
The other, filed by entertainment attorneys Harris & Ruble, centres on behind-the scenes staff of around 300 people.
Yet this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’, two sources told The Sun.
Kanye West hasn’t done anything about paying a bill in twenty years…he can’t have this go to trial, as the jury may…just see a rich rapper ripping off normal folk
A legal source told The Sun
Lawyers are now tracking down other alleged ‘victims’ of Kanye’s Sunday Service shows, and reportedly have dozens of people lined up to join the lawsuit meaning the final tally will be closer to 1,000 people, the source said.
A legal source said: ‘They’ve got hundreds of people on board already, but they’re talking to many, many others, who want to be a part of it. People are very upset how they were treated, saying it’s their worst experience. People in the lawsuit are asking their friends who’ve worked on previous Sunday Services, and they’re jumping at the chance, they want to get involved and talk about their horrible time.’
Kim Kardashian West and husband Kanye West are pictured leaving his Sunday Service At Theatre Des Bouffes Du Nord during Paris Fashion Week in March last year. The couple are reportedly in the midst of getting divorced
Kim Kardashian West, North West, Kanye West and Sr. Pastor Joel Osteen pictured answering media question after the 11 am service at Lakewood Church Sunday, November 17, 2019, in Houston, Texas
They added: ‘Now it’s about proving that Kanye is the employer and the buck stops with him. Now that there’s others coming forward, then the complaint will be amended and be bigger in scope. No one knows how involved Kanye himself was, if he knew what was going on, as it was all so last minute, it was terribly ran. Whether it was mismanagement, accidental, or on purpose, this is a very strong case.’
Another source told The Sun: ‘When you do things last minute, it’s disorganised, mistakes will happen. When Kanye West does a production, he just says to his guys: ‘Make it happen,’ he has different teams of people to do things, and when you’re under that amount of pressure, you cut corners. Anything with film or music production, they do the art first, it’s a case of ‘let’s get the production done and worry if it’s legal later’.’
They added: ‘I’m pretty sure Kanye West hasn’t done anything about paying a bill in 20 years, he’d expect people to take care of it. But Kanye can’t have this go to trial, as the jury may not be Kanye fans and just see a rich rapper ripping off normal folk, he can settle for much less or be hit with a $30 million legal bill.’