Kanye West, teetering on the edge of default judgments, ordered to sit for deposition

LOS ANGELES (CN) — A Superior Court judge on Thursday ordered Kanye West to sit for a deposition by April 30 or face a default judgment in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a former employee, one of more than half a dozen filed against the rapper, fashion mogul and self-described Nazi who has legally changed his name to the succinct Ye.

Ye has not been particularly responsive to the many suits field against him, and some of his attorneys have quit on him for his refusal to pay or communicate with them. This lawsuit, filed by Trevor Phillips, who accused Ye of spewing a litany of “antisemitic tropes and lies,” is no exception. Ye has already failed to appear for one deposition, and did not respond to an invitation to reschedule.

The date of April 30 was suggested by Ye’s new attorney, the LA-based Eduardo Martorell. When asked by Superior Court Judge Thomas Long if the lawyer had a firm commitment from his client to appear on that date, Martorell admitted that he did not.

“So you came to this hearing,” Judge Long said, with measured irritation, “and you came here without authority to agree to any particularly date? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“My client is not that reachable, Your Honor,” answered Martorell, who appeared remotely. He explained that he was fairly new to the case, and Ye had been without a lawyer for some time.

Martorell is representing Ye in four different lawsuits, all brought about by the same law firm, Shegarian & Associates.

“Depositions are being requested in every case,” Martorell said. “I think they’re trying to take advantage of the situation.”

Judge Long ordered Ye to sit for a deposition on or before April 30. He also hit Ye with $2,560 in sanctions, and made it clear that Ye is on thin legal ice.

If April 30 comes and goes and no deposition, I’m not going to [be] interested in another discovery order," Long said. “What’s the point?” The next step, he warned, would be a hearing over whether or not to issue a default judgment in favor of Phillips.

After the hearing, Justin Shegerian, son of Carney Shegerian, the head of the firm, said of Ye: “He’s put off this case since it was filed in April of 2024. He went without counsel for over 200 days. We’re looking forward to holding his feet to the fire.”

Among other things, Phillips says Ye praised Hitler, quoting the controversial hip-hop artist as having said, “HITLER WAS GREAT. Hitler was an innovator! He invented so many things. He’s the reason we have cars.”

Ye’s views on Hitler are very much back in the news. Though he disavowed his previous antisemitic comments in 2023, he disavowed his disavowal earlier this month in what has become an all-too-familiar unhinged rant on the social media platform X. His posts included: “I LOVE HITLER NOW WHAT BITCHES," “IM A NAZI,” “Hitler was sooooo fresh,” and “I’m going to normalize talking about Hitler they way talking about killing n*ggas has been normalized.”

Days later, another former employee — an unnamed Jewish woman — sued Ye for discrimination, claiming he subjected her to numerous antisemitic comments, including a text message that said, “Hail Hitler.” He went on to text: “You Ugly as Fuck," “You stupid ass corny bitch,” “You Piece of Shit,” “Fuck You Bitch,” and “Now sue me you corny ass bitch.” The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, is also being represented by Shegerian’s firm.

On early Wednesday morning, Ye posted another series of random and offensive thoughts on X, first musing on hermaphrodites, then tweeting, hours later: “Adam Sandler Thank you for the love.” Hours after that, he added: “After further reflection I’ve come to the realization that I’m not a Nazi.”

Asked about the recent turn, Justin Shegarian said he wasn’t buying it: “I think it’s quite clear to the general public and to us that he firmly believes the antisemitic slurs that he states.”

As to Martorell’s statement that his client was “not that reachable,” Shegarian said, “Given Ye’s track record in this case, it’s clear that either he’s not taking our civil justice system seriously, or he’s running away from the facts that our clients claim.”

Martorell did not immediately respond to an email requesting a comment.

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