Kanye West reportedly had trouble staying awake in court this week while testifying in a lawsuit tied to a renovation project.
The artist now known as Ye appeared in court on Friday (March 6) in a case involving handyman Tony Saxon, who is suing the rapper over alleged unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, and wrongful termination connected to a Malibu mansion Ye purchased for $57 million in 2021.
According to Rolling Stone reporter Nancy Dillon, West was seen yawning repeatedly while responding to questions, at times keeping his eyes closed. He also claimed he couldn’t remember most of his interactions with the plaintiff.
In the lawsuit, Saxon alleges that Ye hired him to oversee renovations on the rapper’s home, known as “Little Ando,” which reportedly involved stripping the property of electricity, windows, and plumbing.
The Malibu house Saxon worked on was never actually lived in by the College Dropout star. Ye later sold the property at a major loss in 2024 for $21 million after originally purchasing it for $57 million.
Ye’s court appearance came a day after his wife, Bianca Censori, testified before the jury about her involvement in the renovation. Censori stated that she had no real role in the project and did not interact directly with Saxon.
During the proceedings, Censori was also questioned about a handyman’s claim that he once mistook Ye’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, for Bianca when she visited the home during the renovations. Bianca successfully objected to that line of questioning.
Last August, the Wall Street Journal reported that the property returned to the market for $34.9 million after a reported deal to sell the home fell through.
In his complaint, Saxon claims he was hired as the renovation’s project manager and also served as “full-time security” and a “live in caretaker” for the property, with a promised pay rate of $20,000 per week.
However, Saxon says he only received one payment and was forced to live in “makeshift conditions” while staying on the property. He alleges he had to sleep in “empty spaces on the ground and using his coat as a makeshift bedding,” claiming that Ye ignored his complaints.
Saxon also claims that after injuring his back in November 2021, he was fired for refusing to comply with what he described as West’s “dangerous requests.”
“Tony has been waiting for two and a half years for his day in court, and he’s looking forward to telling his story to a jury,” Saxon’s attorney, Neama Rhamani, said in a statement in February. “This is the first time Ye will be testifying in a courtroom… The public will be able to draw their own conclusions as to who is telling the truth.”
In response, Ye filed a lawsuit in January against Saxon and his legal team, accusing them of “wrongfully” recording and maintaining an invalid $1.8 million mechanic’s lien on the property.
