Kanye West has been ordered by a Los Angeles judge to sit for a deposition within 30 days in connection with a lawsuit involving his shuttered private school, Donda Academy. The directive follows multiple failed attempts by the plaintiff’s legal team to secure his participation, according to court filings obtained by TMZ.
The lawsuit was filed in April 2024 by Trevor Phillips, who worked at the school and accused West of overseeing a toxic and hostile workplace. Phillips alleged that the rapper harassed employees, created an unsafe environment, and engaged in disturbing conduct that undermined staff and students alike.
In court documents, Phillips described West as “erratic and discriminatory,” claiming the artist “spewed hate, professed antisemitic tropes and lies, threatened the LGBTQ+ community,” and at one point “almost sexually stimulated himself.” The filing also referenced West’s social media outbursts as further evidence of troubling behavior.
Phillips, who is Black, further accused West of racially targeting employees. He claimed the father of four often yelled at Black staff members during class hours while refraining from speaking harshly to white employees. “Often, Kanye targeted Phillips, a Black man, not just with this disparate and harassing behavior, but complete and utter disdain,” the lawsuit alleged.
The deposition order means West will now be compelled to answer questions about all of the explosive claims raised in the lawsuit. Legal experts note that depositions often become critical in civil cases, shaping the strength of each side’s arguments before a trial begins.
Phillips’s case adds to the growing list of legal and financial troubles surrounding the rapper, who has faced backlash and lost major business partnerships in recent years over his public remarks and controversies. While Donda Academy once attracted headlines as part of West’s vision to merge education with his cultural brand, the school has since been plagued by lawsuits, abrupt staff departures, and reports of unorthodox rules.
For now, the judge’s order ensures that West must address the allegations under oath. His testimony, when it takes place, is expected to be closely watched and could play a decisive role in how the case unfolds.