Kanye was sued for discrimination, violations of the labor code, and retaliation.
Sep. 14 2023, Published 8:23 p.m. ET
Apparently, you can’t tell Kanye West nothing — even as a staff member who was allegedly forced to sleep in “makeshift conditions” while working on the rapper’s still unfinished $55 million home. Tony Saxon sued West, accusing him of discrimination, violations of the labor code, and retaliation, alleging he “did not have access to a proper bed or comfortable sleeping environment” when he was hired to provide full-time security for the beachfront mansion.
RadarOnline.com has photos showing Saxon’s co-worker sleeping on the floor and the conditions he allegedly had to undergo after being employed by West in September 2021.
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Saxon said he was initially hired as a project manager for the home.
In the lawsuit obtained by RadarOnline.com, Saxon alleged he was initially hired as a project manager for West and was asked to provide 24/7 security for the home and to act like a live-in caretaker for $20k per week. He claimed that West soon utilized his experience in construction.
Despite expecting to be full-time security at the mansion, Saxon claimed that throughout his entire employment, he “was sleeping in makeshift conditions, finding empty spaces on the ground and using his coat as a makeshift bedding.”
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He said he was also asked to provide 24/7 security for the home and to act like a live-in caretaker.
Saxon alleged his DIY sleeping arrangements “were near open insulation,” adding he “did not have access to a proper bed or comfortable sleeping environment.” One photo showed the bedroom set-up Saxon claimed he was forced to make himself.
West’s former employee appeared to have placed a thin mattress on the ground. Despite claiming he used his coat to keep himself warm, the picture seemed to show black sheets on the bed. Power tools and essentials, like water and a guitar, surrounded his bed.
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Saxon said he complained several times about the working conditions — and raised complaints about hazards around the property, including allegedly having no safety equipment despite workers demolishing the property — but he alleged that “no action was taken” by West.
The Gold Digger rapper’s ex-staffer said the job gave him anxiety and stress, and he asked West to reinstate his previous security, but that allegedly never happened.
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Saxon shared the “makeshift” bedroom he allegedly was forced to call home while working on the mansion.
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“Throughout the entirety of Plaintiff’s employment, Defendant exhibited a consistent pattern of being unresponsive and difficult to communicate with. Defendant’s preference for shorter text messages, bullet points, or PDFs made it challenging for Plaintiff to effectively address and elaborate on numerous key specifics related to the project,” the lawsuit read.
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He said he injured his back and informed West that he needed time off, but the musician “continued to insist on having updates on the house.” Saxon claimed one of the more dangerous jobs West insisted on was removing “all the electricity and windows from the home.” While he allegedly voiced his concerns to the superstar, he claimed West “persisted, raising his voice, and insisting on moving large generators inside the house, which could potentially lead to a fire hazard.” Saxon alleged that West “threatened” him when he expressed his worry over the project.
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The ex-staffer is suing in excess of $1 million in damages.
“Defendant threatened Plaintiff, claiming he would be considered an enemy if he did not comply. Faced with such dangerous demands, Plaintiff chose not to put others and himself at risk and was subsequently told by Defendant to ‘get the hell out,'” he said in the suit.
Saxon claimed he was fired for not complying with Kanye’s request. He’s suing in excess of $1 million in damages.