Kanye West “Is Not Merely a Creator; He Is Art” (Say His Lawyers)
A perhaps somewhat over-the-top argument in a motion to dismiss an employment lawsuit (Doe v. Yeezy, LLC).
The motion itself may have merit as to some of its facets, and certainly raises some interesting legal issues; I look forward to seeing what the court makes of it. An excerpt:
5. Plaintiff Jane Doe, a self-proclaimed Hollywood publicist, aggressively sought to represent Ye, fully aware of his reputation as the world’s most provocative artist. Retained in late 2023 to promote Vultures Vol. 1, she publicly positioned herself as Ye’s media liaison. The irony is striking: the compensation she received—and now seeks to augment through this litigation—was generated exclusively by the controversial art she herself promoted. Having knowingly immersed herself in Ye’s unapologetically boundary-defying artistic environment, she now claims retroactive offense at performative expressions such as “I Am A NAZI” and “You Ugly as Fuck”—works that plainly reflect Ye’s artistic critique of censorship, identity, and beauty standards, and which were wholly consistent with his public artistry and presentation long before Plaintiff explicitly sought employment….
40. In January 2024, Ye texted Plaintiff, “I Am A NAZI,” in response to her unsolicited suggestion that he publicly condemn Nazism amid controversy over the Nazi-inspired cover art for Vultures Vol. 1. Plaintiff alleges this message constitutes antisemitic harassment and discrimination.
41. Vultures Vol. 1, which Plaintiff was hired to promote, featured aesthetic choices reminiscent of imagery related to Nazism, invoking debates about artistic expression, antisemitism, and censorship.
42. Ye’s oeuvre has long engaged with shocking imagery and taboo subjects to provoke dialogue, from religious iconography in Yeezus to racial discourse critiques throughout his musical collection. Courts c
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