Kanye West does not sound like the best employer. He’s been hit with dozens of lawsuits over the last few years. Many of them from disgruntled former employees. One claims that he has yet to be paid for the work he did in 2021. According to TMZ, an ex-security guard is seeking unpaid wages, in addition to interest and punitive damages. A specific dollar amount hasn’t yet been reported, but it’s safe to assume it’s sizable.
Jonathan Monroe was hired by Kanye West in August 2021. He claims he was brought on as a guard to protect the rapper’s sprawling Malibu estate at $30 an hour. The hours reportedly varied depending on the week, but Monroe asserted that he worked between 36-50 hours until he was fired in October of the same year. Upon being let go, however, the security guard was not given a dime. The catch-22 is that he believes he was fired due to complaints over not being paid. Monroe hoped that he would be able to get what he was owed in due time, but three years have passed and he still hasn’t gotten his money.
Kanye West Allegedly Fired The Guard For Complaining
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 12: Kanye West is seen on February 12, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/GC Images)
The timing of Jonathan Monroe’s lawsuit is ironic, given that Kanye West recently sold the Malibu estate he was hired to protect. The space was renovated over and over again, but never completed. Kanye West is currently being sued by a project manager who worked on the renovation. The manager, Tony Saxon, claims that the rapper refused to comply with safety protocols and turn off the electricity. West allegedly told Saxon to “get the hell out” when he voiced opposition, and said he’d be “considered an enemy if he did not comply.”
Kanye West’s allegedly tyrannical behavior did not prove beneficial in the long run. The rapper was forced to mark down the price of his Malibu estate when he put it up for sale. When it finally did sell, he took a staggering $36 million loss. West has not had the smoothest couple of years, both on record and off. The rapper is reportedly locking into “studio art mode” on his new album, however. Maybe he will be able to regain some of the focus that made him so beloved to begin with.
About The Author
Elias is a music writer at HotNewHipHop. He joined the site in 2024, and covers a wide range of topics, including pop culture, film, sports, and of course, hip-hop. You can find him publishing work for HNHH from Monday to Friday, especially when it comes to the coverage of new albums and singles. His favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He loves L.A. hip-hop but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he ever bought was Big Willie Style by Will Smith, which he maintains is still a pretty good listen.
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