A jury in Los Angelos has ordered American rapper Ye formerly known as Kanye West to pay $140,000 to a former contractor, Tony Saxon, following a law suit regarding renovations on the rapper’s Malibu Mansion.
The whole trouble started at a house in Malibu that Ye bought for $57 million.
The rapper was ordered to pay the contractor $140,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and unlawful termination.
The rapper’s team argued in court that Saxon was an unlicensed contractor who “destroyed” the “architectural gem” while working there.
According to Neama Rahmani, an attorney for Saxon, he said, “He wasn’t compensated for his injuries because Ye didn’t have work comp insurance and as a result, they’re gonna have to pay our attorney fees and cost under the labor code and that can add up.”
Also it was revealed in court, Ye told Saxon to gut the whole building. He wanted all the electricity, the water pipes, and even the windows removed.
Saxon told the court that the rapper wanted to turn the house into a “1910s-style bunker” where he could live completely off-the-grid. But working there was not easy.
Saxon claimed he was forced to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag because he had to be there 24 hours a day to watch the property.
The biggest problem happened when Saxon said he refused to follow an order that he felt was dangerous. He claimed Ye wanted him to bring heavy power generators inside the house. Saxon, knowing this could cause carbon monoxide poisoning and kill people, said no. Because he stood his ground, he says he was fired on the spot.
A statement from a spokesperson for Ye said Saxon acted in the capacity of a contractor.
“Under California law, an unlicensed contractor cannot recover compensation for work requiring a license. Based on those findings, we believe the damages award is legally barred and will be seeking post-trial relief from the court,” the spokesperson’s statement said in part.
West took the stand, but didn’t say much he appeared to fall asleep at one point, media reports indicate.
West’s lawyer Andrew Cherkasky described Saxon as an unreliable witness, and said bank records showed Saxon was paid $240,000 during the six weeks he worked for the rapper. The rapper’s team also disputed Saxon’s reported injuries, sharing a video showing the handyman performing with a band and rolling on the floor.
“The lies are so deep and so wicked that not a thing can be believed that came out of his mouth,” Cherkasky said calling Saxon “a professional victim”.
West bought the home for $57m in 2021, but after it was stripped out and abandoned, sold it for a loss in 2023.
Saxon had sought $1.7m for lost wages and medical expenses incurred while working at the property, but following the 10-day trial, he was awarded $140,000 in damages.
It is the first of more than a dozen lawsuits filed against West by former employees to go to trial.
The rapper has gone through an epic downfall over the last few years over his racist and anti-Semitic tirades online, leaving many brands and companies cutting ties with him. He was blocked last year from entering Australia over his song that glorified Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
