Kanye West’s Sunday Service was a cultural reset at a time when his iconic legacy was plagued with controversy and mental health issues. But it looks like he wasn’t taking care of the choir that serenaded the Sunday service goers weekly.
Attorney Frank Kim filed a lawsuit on behalf of 500 performers, meanwhile, entertainment lawyer, Harris & Ruble filed a second lawsuit focusing on at least 300 staff and crew members.
Harris & Ruble allege that the crew members’ issue stems from the rapper’s first opera Nebuchadnezzar, which was held at L.A.’s The Hollywood Bowl in November 2019.
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Hundreds of hairstylists, make up artists, and costume designers worked without compensation or were paid late.
According to
Page Six, nearly 1,000 Sunday Service members have partnered to file two class-action lawsuits against the Yeezy founder over a number of issues from late or missed payments, mistreatments, broken labor laws and more.
The lawsuit was originally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last summer, but details of each allegation are beginning to become public. Per the
UK Sun, the performers and crew had legal rights to overtime wages and should have been classified as employees, not independent contractors. One singer, Michael Pearson, reportedly said in court documents he was paid a flat rate of $250 “regardless of the number of hours worked” and had no meals or restroom breaks and was “forced to stand or sit on the ground” all weekend during one performance.
Kanye West, 43, could be facing a $30million lawsuit over his Sunday Service shows
Class-action lawsuits claim he violated strict California labor laws for allegedly failing to pay hundreds of performers and backstage staff on time or at all
The documents were filed last summer at The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
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
Hairstylist Raina Leon, who worked on a show in November 2019, claimed she wasn t paid for 120-days and was then charged $20 to cash her $550 pay check
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The elves had left a note next to them that was addressed to her children: North, seven, Saint, five, Chicago, two, and Psalm, one. Hi North, Saint Chi & Psalm, We are on a 10 Day Quarantine! read a note left by the bottled elves. We still have our magic and will be back to flying around in 10 days!
Christmas paraphernalia: In addition to her lovely fake snow–frosted Christmas tree, which nearly reached to the ceiling, Kim had a fun Elf on the Shelf display for the benefit of her four children
Topical: She referenced the pandemic by putting the four elves in sealed jars so that they could quarantine while still keeping an eye on the children