Kanye West recently found himself in a Los Angeles courtroom facing a lawsuit from a contractor. Tony Saxon is demanding over $1 million for work he did on West’s demolished Malibu estate. The trial began with surprising statements from Milo Yiannopoulos, who spoke as West’s spokesman outside the courthouse. Saxon claims the Hip-Hop mogul owes him more than $1 million for his role overseeing the demolition of West’s $57 million beachfront property in 2021.
What Happened
Tony Saxon worked as the project manager for Kanye West’s Malibu mansion project. He claims West wanted the minimalist home stripped down even further. This included removing jacuzzis, plumbing, fireplaces, windows, and even the electricity. Saxon stated that West demanded stairs be converted into slides. He also claimed he had to work without permits as part of West’s “evolving creative vision.” The contractor said he lived on-site in a sleeping bag while expecting weekly payments of $20,000. According to Saxon’s attorney Ron Zambrano, the contractor received about $260,000. However, he says most of that money went toward materials and other workers before West ended the arrangement.
West’s attorney, Andrew Cherkasky, argued that Saxon was an unlicensed contractor. He also claimed Saxon “destroyed the Ando house” and quit voluntarily. West reportedly sold the gutted mansion in September 2024 for $21 million. This represented a significant $36 million loss from his original purchase price. The property has since changed hands again and returned to the market after a deal fell through, highlighting ongoing legal issues surrounding West’s real estate.
Yiannopoulos’s Role and Controversy
Milo Yiannopoulos defended West outside the courthouse. He told reporters that Saxon “was overpaid and underqualified and should have quit while he was ahead.” Yiannopoulos added, “He should have taken the quarter of a million dollars he was paid for six weeks’ work and run.” He also questioned the truthfulness of Saxon’s statements. Yiannopoulos’s role as a spokesman for Kanye West raises questions given hisown history. The British commentator has a background of making controversial and inflammatory remarks. This includes racist and antisemitic commentary. His continued involvement with West’s Yeezy company seems to contradict West’s recent apology for his own behavior.
Legal Arguments and Past Remarks
Meanwhile, Kanye West and his lawyers have presented a defense in a separate workplace discrimination lawsuit. They argue that West’s past support for Adolf Hitler and Nazis was merely part of his “intentionally provocative and thematically charged” public persona. His legal team believes this artistic expression should be protected under the First Amendment. In filings, West’s lawyers stated that communications about creative directives, conceptual drafts, and imagery were integral to his art.
Previously, a Jewish marketing specialist sued West in 2024. She claimed he subjected her to “antisemitic vitriol.” The lawsuit referenced alleged messages from West, including statements like “I am a Nazi” and “Welcome to the first day of working for Hitler.” West’s lawyers argued that these internal exchanges are part of the collaborative process for shaping his work for public reception.
This defense comes after Kanye West issued a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal. In the ad, he apologized to the Jewish community for his antisemitic remarks. He also spoke about his struggles with mental health and claimed neurological damage from a 2002 car crash. Some fans accused him of apologizing to help market his album “Bully.” a claim he denied
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