8 Strict Rules Kanye West Makes His Staff Follow
No what before marriage?
YouTube / Instagram With all the turmoil going on in the world of West, it’s a wonder that he has any employees left.
But those that do stick around have to follow strict rules laid out by West for his staff.
8 Strict Rules Kanye West Makes His Staff Follow
1. You may or may not be paid.
In January 2021, West was sued by his Sunday Service cast and crew for unpaid wages.
About 800 of his performers and crew filed a lawsuit claiming they were not paid and were mistreated.
A stylist on the set alleged that she was paid several months late while Michael Pearson, one of the performers said that he was underpaid and not permitted to take breaks.
California has strict laws governing how employees are paid and treated and it appears West’s team was in violation of several.
It is likely that he was not directly involved but he is still facing a costly civil suit.
2. If you are paid, you may not be paid the right amount.
In another lawsuit, Yeezy employees accused West of misclassifying employees as independent contractors in order to avoid paying taxes and benefits costs.
In that action, it is alleged that West and the rest of Yeezy’s management team labeled all staff members "contractors" although they were given duties that would make them full-time employees.
Because of that, workers were not paid for all hours worked and like the Sunday Service workers alleged, were stopped from taking bathroom and meal breaks.
3. No premarital relations.
In a stunning revelation, employees that worked on West’s album, ‘Jesus is King’ were instructed not to engage in any premarital sex while working on the project.
West had rededicated himself to Christianity and was dead set on getting his staff to drop any habits he thought were not in alignment with his newfound faith.
The request raised alarms about employees’ right to privacy with many wondering whether or not an employer can dictate an employee’s sex life. The answer is easy. They cannot. Time will tell if this results in more legal action.
4. Watching explicit videos are a must.
By now you shouldn’t be too surprised by some of West’s questionable actions toward his employees.
In early October 2022, he allegedly showed Adidas employees porn during a meeting.
It happened during an October 10th meeting where West sat with multiple Adidas employees and showed them a pornographic video in the middle of a heated discussion.
West was apparently trying to get his message about the company allegedly stealing his designs across.
He explained, "The whole concept of this video is that the guy had cheated. So, then the girl was like, 'Well, I'm gonna do the thing that is your worst nightmare.'”
5. Expect the unexpected.
West does whatever he wants. He can change his mind at the drop of a dime.
He has been known to make big decisions on a whim or say things that constantly change his business relationships.
In early 2022, West demanded that an Adidas warehouse be built near his $14 million mansion in Cody Wyoming. Millions of dollars were invested in equipment and relocating employees to the new location.
Somewhere along the way, after only six months, West decided to shut down the facility, displacing as many as ninety employees.
The “Yeezy Campus” he had visualized during a "paradigm shift for humanity" was short-lived.
6. If you’re not ‘successful’ your opinion doesn’t matter.
West is a self-proclaimed “genius” and only wants people around him who are as dedicated to their work as he is.
In his 2018 song "No Mistakes" he confessed, "I don't take advice from people less successful than me."
But even those who work for West are expected to be on top of their jobs at all times.
In an interview with the Hollywood Raw podcast, his former security guard, Steve Stanulis told a story about his first day of work.
According to Stanulis, he and West entered an elevator on his first day on the job and West expected him to know what floor he was going to without direction.
Steve went on to label his former employer “needy” and “moody”.
7. He thinks an apology can wipe the slate clean.
It’s no secret that West says and does whatever suits him.
He thinks so highly of himself that it’s rare when he expresses any remorse about anything he does.
Most people can’t say if West does dubious things for shock value or if he just doesn't think before he speaks.
Over the years, we have seen him apologize to Taylor Swift, Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose, and most recently, to Black and Jewish people.
West seems to always have his foot in his mouth, saying things that spark debate and hurt people.
If you work for him, he may say things that offend you, but he may apologize and act as if it never happened.
8. You must have thick skin.
West recently paid a settlement to a former musician that worked for him.
He was alleged to have made comments in which he praised Adolf Hitler in the workplace.
The ex-employee alleged that West not only admired Hitler but gave accolades to Nazis during business meetings.
Although the case has been settled, West continues to deny the allegations.
Several other employees have come forward to confirm the musician’s account.
With the public comments that we have seen from West over the years, it’s not hard to imagine that some of his remarks could easily have spilled into the workplace.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and the author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment & news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues