A former security guard who’s suing the artist formerly known as Kanye West for alleged unpaid wages is seeking a judgment of nearly $900,000.
As first reported by TMZ, the suit stems from Jonathan Monroe, who alleged in a 2024 complaint viewed by Complex that he was “fired because of his complaints of not getting paid any wages.” As Monroe alleged, he was hired as a full-time security guard in 2021, a job that saw him putting in between 36 and 50 hours per week until he was “let go” that October.
In a filing dated April 7 and viewed by Complex, Monroe’s legal team requested a court judgment against Ye in the amount of $849,747.94. This isn’t the first instance of a request for a judgment in the suit, which dates back to an initial filing circa October 2024. According to online records, there are two hearings on the books for this week, including one focused on an order to show cause in connection with the dismissal and resubmission of the default judgment application.
In the 2024 complaint, Monroe argued that Ye and company had made labor code violations including misclassification of him as an independent contractor, unpaid overtime, and unlawful withholding of wages. As Monroe further agued, his alleged firing was “wrongful” in nature and was done with the intention of “punishing him for engaging in a protected activity.”
Ye, whose long-teased Bully album recently netted a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 chart, was confirmed this week to have been barred from traveling to the UK, thus leading to the cancellation of Wireless Festival. Moments before the cancelation was announced, Ye shared an addendum to his full-page Wall Street Journal statement, originally published in January.
In the newly added portion of the statement, the 24-time Grammy winner, who previously spoke about his struggles with bipolar disorder and affirmed he is “not a Nazi or an antisemite,” said his “only goal” with the planned three-night stint was to bring “a show of change” to London.
“I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen,” Ye added. “I know words aren't enough. I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here.”
