By Jehoshaphat Kanyoro Njaro
Kanye West, the prolific yet controversial music and fashion mogul, is once again under the spotlight, but this time, it’s for a series of legal battles that threaten to overshadow his creative endeavors.
The latest in a string of controversies involves a lawsuit filed by his former assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, who has accused West of sexual harassment, breach of contract, and wrongful termination.
Pisciotta, who boasts a 15-year career in the music industry, collaborated with West on the first season of his Yeezy women’s fashion line and contributed to three tracks on his 2021 album, Donda.
In the same year, she was hired as West’s executive/personal assistant with an enticing annual salary of $1 million, conditional on her availability around the clock.
Despite her lucrative position, Pisciotta claims that the job quickly turned into a nightmare. Initially, West had no objections to her OnlyFans account, which was a significant source of her income, bringing in $1 million annually.
However, in 2022, he allegedly demanded she delete the account to become “God like,” promising her $1 million in return. After she complied, Pisciotta alleges that West began sending her explicit messages and, on multiple occasions, masturbated in front of her.
One particularly disturbing incident, detailed in the lawsuit, describes an overnight flight to Paris. Pisciotta claims that after West closed the door to his private room on the plane, he trapped the two of them inside and proceeded to masturbate under the covers until he fell asleep.
This incident, among others, highlights a pattern of inappropriate and predatory behavior that Pisciotta says she endured during her employment.West has not responded to these allegations, maintaining a public silence.
Around September 2022, she was promoted to Chief of Staff for his various companies, and was supposed to receive $3 million for the promotion. But a month later abruptly fired and offered a $3 million severance pay which she never received.
This legal challenge adds to a growing list of controversies for the star, who has publicly acknowledged a long-term pornography addiction that began in childhood.
In a past interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, West recounted how finding a Playboy magazine at age five deeply impacted his life choices, stating, “Playboy was my gateway into full-on pornography addiction… It’s affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life.”
This year has been particularly turbulent for West, who faced another lawsuit in April from Benjamin Deshon Provo, a former security guard at his now-closed Donda Academy.
Provo accused West of racial discrimination and harassment, alleging that he was targeted for being Muslim and was ordered to cut his dreadlocks or face termination. West has yet to address these allegations publicly.
In addition, West was embroiled in a legal dispute in February with the estate of the late disco icon Donna Summer. The lawsuit centered on the unauthorized use of a sample from her song “I Feel Love.” This case was settled out of court, avoiding further legal entanglements but adding to the narrative of West’s contentious year.
The outcomes of these lawsuits could significantly impact both his professional reputation and personal legacy.