CALIFORNIA – Renowned rapper Kanye West has agreed to pay $1.35 million to settle a class action lawsuit involving 599 artists from his Sunday Service performances. This legal dispute, which has spanned four years, addressed allegations of labor mistreatment.
Alongside Kanye, his associated companies will also contribute to the settlement payment. The case was initiated by Michael Pearson, a dancer who participated in West’s shows at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2019.
According to U.S. Sun, Pearson and 598 other artists from the “Nebuchadnezzar Opera” were seeking over $10 million in damages. The claims included payment of a flat daily rate of $250 regardless of hours worked, lack of proper seating, and failure to provide promised transportation for staff. The lawsuit accused West, along with West Brands LLC, Very Good Touring Inc., and AJR Films Inc., of engaging in “unlawful and unfair business practices.”
The plaintiffs’ attorney sought preliminary approval of the settlement, describing it as “fair, adequate, reasonable, and in the best interest of the Class and the parties involved.”
Filed in August 2020, the lawsuit reached a confidential settlement last November. Initially, the artists demanded $10,596,557 in damages, including $7.3 million for unpaid wages and $3.1 million for violations of California labor laws. The final settlement was achieved after a full day of mediation on October 23, followed by weeks of negotiations.
Although the parties did not resolve the issue on the first day of mediation, negotiations continued with the mediator’s assistance in the following weeks. Eventually, in response to a mediation proposal, an agreement was reached to settle the plaintiffs’ claims on a class and representative basis.
Court documents state, “The parties have settled, as set forth herein, to resolve the Plaintiff’s claims on a class-wide and representative basis.“
The $1.35 million settlement represents a significant resolution amid the multiple legal battles facing Kanye West, including cases of sexual harassment and other labor-related lawsuits.
