Kanye West sued by performer who says he faced ‘abusive conditions’ working on rapper’s biblical opera

See more of our coverage in your search results. All of the lawsuits. Kanye West is being sued by performer Chase Taylor, who has accused the rapper of “multiple unfair and deceptive trade practices.” The musician described the allegedly “abusive conditions” he worked under while collaborating with West, 49, in 2019 for his “Nebuchadnezzar” opera, according to court documents obtained by Rolling Stone on Thursday. Kanye West faces a new lawsuit from a performer alleging abusive working conditions during a 2019 opera project. Getty Images The rapper was accused of locking musicians in a room and making false promises about compensation. BACKGRID Taylor alleged that he flew from North Carolina to Wyoming to rehearse the opera, a week before he was set to take the stage — only to find out the project was not done. He claimed to have been locked into a band room at Cody High School with other artists to compose music and make the Hollywood Bowl performance “ready in just four days.” Per the lawsuit, filed in North Carolina on Wednesday, “Defendants locked the door and ordered Taylor to work until the opera was done. To secure Taylor’s compliance, defendants including West promised lucrative compensation, producer credit, and future work.” West presents his Yeezy fashion line in Los Angeles on Nov. 4, 2026. Getty Images West, left, and Bianca Censori arrive at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Nov. 6, 2026. BACKGRID Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Taylor claimed West’s producer “ignored” his request to “unlock the band room doors, provide sufficient food and water and provide appropriate time off for the musicians to sleep.” Additionally, Taylor alleged that he was “repeatedly told the operas were non-profit engagements performed for religious purposes,” which he now claims “was a lie” as “West and his co-defendant companies charged attendees for tickets, and, on information and belief, pocketed the profits.” He is suing for damages for alleged fraud, false imprisonment, and unfair business practices — as well as for copyright ownership and a share of the profits generated by several songs he alleges West released incorporating his compositions and arrangement. West performs at Coachella in April 2019. Performer Chase Taylor claims he suffered false imprisonment later that year. Getty Images for Coachella West arrives at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in July 2025. Other musicians previously filed similar suits against him. AFP via Getty Images West’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment. Similarly, musician Willie Alexander sued West in Los Angeles last year over negligent and intentional misrepresentation, misappropriation of his likeness, and false promises that induced him to provide professional services at a reduced rate. He also claimed to have traveled to Wyoming and been “shocked to discover that the opera had not been written at all,” at which point he was allegedly “required to compose and arrange the opera, largely from scratch.” Ye performs in New Orleans on Aug. 28, 2026. Hundreds of former workers previously secured a $1.35 million settlement over labor violations. Getty Images West and his son Psalm head to a Los Angeles studio on Oct. 19, 2026. LESE / BACKGRID The case is pending in the Los Angeles Superior Court, with a settlement conference scheduled for January. West also has a settlement hearing in December regarding the class-action lawsuit brought against him in the summer of 2020 over labor violations, misclassification, unpaid wages, lack of breaks and working conditions. Hundreds of performers and other workers were granted a $1.35 million settlement in 2025. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!