What to Know and Expect in Trial

Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images

The trial surrounding Ye’s now-infamous Malibu Beach home has entered its second week. This week so far has included testimony about the rapper’s look-alike love interests and a handyman’s allegation that “nothing we did there was of our own volition.”

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is being sued by his former contractor, Tony Saxon, over alleged unpaid wages. Saxon says that Ye hired him as the project manager for a major renovation that gutted his house of pretty much every house-like thing. Saxon says he was also expected to provide full-time security and live-in caretaking for Ye’s sprawling Tadao Ando–designed house.

As with many Ye-related things, however, things took a destructive turn. Saxon claims he was worked to the bone, with 16-hour days in “dangerous working conditions,” according to USA Today. Court papers claim that Ye demanded Saxon move large generators into the house, “which could potentially lead to a fire hazard.” Saxon also alleges that his construction-site lodging was “makeshift,” with him finding empty spaces on the ground and using his coat as bedding. Ye has denied wrongdoing. Both Ye and his wife, architect Bianca Censori, are poised to testify. Here’s what we know about the case.

Saxon says he worked for Ye for almost two months, from September to November 2021, and alleges he’s owed $1 million for unpaid wages as well as expenses, Courthouse News Service reports. Saxon says that Ye hired him to helm renovation and ultimate remodeling of the then–$57 million house. Saxon alleges that Ye said he’d pay him $20,000 weekly. While Ye did pay him $260,000, Saxon says much of that went back into the house and was used for construction material and laborers. Saxon claims he “severely” hurt his back during the project. Ye allegedly ignored Saxon’s request for time off, per USA Today.

Saxon claims that he was axed after opposing some “dangerous” requests. “If you don’t do what I say, you’re not going to work for me, I’m not gonna be your friend anymore and you’ll just see me on TV,” Ye allegedly told Saxon, according to court papers. Saxon claims he replied, “I don’t watch TV.” Ye allegedly responded, “Leave.”

Saxon took the stand last week and told jurors that he hurt his back and neck during Ye’s project, according to Rolling Stone, but kept working to hit milestones. When Saxon was questioned about how Ye’s house was supposed to work without water, he said West pitched a system where “his urine and feces be treated into fresh water for drinking and bathing for him.” Saxon also told the jury that he had concerns about electricity being disconnected from the house and was axed after voicing these worries. “Ye attacked me. He got in my face, saying, ‘I just plugged my phone in, and the outlets are still working. Why is the electricity still there? Why is there still power in the house?’ He was really upset,” Rolling Stone quoted Saxon as saying.

During his testimony, handyman Jeromy Holding described how he confused Ye’s now-ex-wife Kim Kardashian with Bianca Censori. Holding told jurors that he saw a woman walking on the job site early during his time there, Rolling Stone said. Holding said he believed it was Censori. He alleged that this woman pulled down her sunglasses in an “I don’t know you”–type way. Ye introduced her as his then-wife, Kardashian. “I said, ‘Oh, I thought you were Bianca,’” Holding reportedly told jurors. “I walked around the house, and then they started arguing. Then she took the kids, and I got called upstairs.” Ye allegedly told Holding, “One of the most famous women in the world, and you call her by another woman’s name? What say you? … You did it on purpose.” While Holding described feeling embarrassed and claimed he offered to resign, Ye replied, “Nah.” Rolling Stone notes that Ye and Censori married in 2022 after he and Kardashian finalized their divorce.

The house started out as a 4,000-square-foot mansion with impressive Pacific Ocean views. It was made from approximately 1,200 tons of concrete and 200 tons of steel reinforcement, according to Architectural Digest. Ron Zambrano of West Coast Trial Lawyers, Saxon’s attorney, reportedly said in his opening statement that Ye wanted his already minimalist house to be even more minimalist — an “off-the-grid” shelter. To achieve that, Ye demanded the removal of pretty much everything that made the house a house — windows, toilets, and electricity, Courthouse News said.

Ye decided to sell his house about three months after Saxon sued. Jason Oppenheim, of Selling Sunset fame, listed the house for $53 million. However, the whole “not having electricity or plumbing or windows” thing did not bode well for Ye, who wound up selling the house for $21 million, according to Realtor.com. This buyer tried to sell the house and listed it for $34.9 million in September, the New York Post reported. In December, however, Realtor.com reported that the owner partnered with a firm to offer a “partial economic ownership” stake in the house for around $300,000.

Ye’s lawyer, Andrew Cherkasky, told jurors that Saxon told his client he was licensed, but he was actually unlicensed, Courthouse News said. Cherkasky claimed that Saxon received $240,000 for six weeks of work and alleged “he destroyed the Ando house.” Cherkasky also claimed that Saxon “made promises he couldn’t fulfill.” Ye’s spokesperson, far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, defended his boss outside the courtroom. “The truth is that Tony was overpaid and underqualified and should have quit while he was ahead,” Yiannopoulos reportedly told the press on Tuesday, per Courthouse News. (Ye reportedly did not attend court that day.) “He should have taken the quarter of a million dollars he was paid for six weeks’ work and run. For a while, he did — for two years, in fact, until a law firm got involved. And now we are here trying to figure out if anything that Tony Saxon has ever said is true.”

When prospective jurors were asked during selection whether they had opinions about Ye and Censori, “the majority raised their hands,” according to the New York Post. One said, “I don’t like what he supports. My relatives are very against this guy,” while another commented, “I’ve seen some of the rants.” One would-be juror took issue with all the awful things Ye said about Jewish people (for which he later offered a controversial apology). One woman took issue with Censori’s revealing Grammys outfit. “I don’t want to look at it. It’s disgusting!” the Post quoted her as saying.

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