A former employee who sued the artist formerly known as Kanye West—now legally Ye—has been awarded $76,245 in attorney fees following the rapper’s failed attempt to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds of free speech.
The decision marks the latest development in a high-profile legal battle that has drawn attention for its allegations of harassment and controversial First Amendment claims.
Court documents obtained by Complex confirm that the unnamed plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, had originally sought $99,720 in legal fees and costs. A Los Angeles court awarded her a substantial portion of the amount at a hearing on Thursday, September 11, after reviewing prior decisions in the case.
In his written ruling, Judge Nicholas F. Daum sided with Doe, citing the earlier finding that Kanye West’s motion to strike the lawsuit amounted to a baseless stalling tactic.
The court rejected Kanye West’s legal team’s attempts to delay the fee order, arguing that any appeal over the First Amendment issue could take a year or longer, and that Ye retained the right to appeal the attorney fee award separately if he chose.
Kanye West’s attorney, Andrew Cherkasky, had argued that the court should hold off on the fee order until an appellate review of the rapper’s First Amendment defense, suggesting that the case raised complex free speech considerations.
“We certainly do think there are very interesting First Amendment issues that could lead to additional appeals,” Cherkasky said following the hearing. He added that, should the appellate court uphold the underlying lawsuit, the legal team “intends to aggressively move along with litigation.”
The lawsuit itself dates back to February 2025, when Jane Doe filed suit detailing her experience working for Ye during 2023 and 2024. According to the complaint, Doe was subjected to repeated harassment, including text messages such as “Welcome to the first day of working for Hitler,” and being ordered to assist with a project referred to as Yeezy Porn.
Doe alleged that she was terminated after reporting Kanye West’s behavior to her then-manager, prompting the lawsuit that claimed wrongful termination and harassment. In April, Kanye West filed a motion to strike the complaint, arguing that Doe’s claims were an attempt to “suppress” his constitutionally protected right to artistic expression.
The filing described Ye as not merely a creator but “art,” asserting that his public and private personas were part of a continuous, provocative performance designed to challenge societal taboos surrounding race, religion, gender, power, politics, and censorship.
Elon Musk And Kanye West Reveal Relationship Drama
Elon Musk and Kanye West chat about their love lives in the rapper’s forthcoming documentary, “In Whose Name?”
The duo spoke candidly about their respective relationships with Grimes and Kim Kardashian in a bizarre clip.
“So are you and Kim off and on or something?” the Tesla CEO asked West while they rested on a bed. “Or, I don’t know. It’s hard to tell.”
The Grammy winner awkwardly laughed, prompting Musk to discuss his on-again, off-again relationship with Grimes, born Claire Elise Boucher.
“Clare and I, Grimes, we’re sort of in the same text stream, she’s like, ‘I love you.’ And then like, a day later, like, ‘I hate you,’” the billionaire, 54, shared of the 37-year-old singer, whom he dated between 2018 and 2022.
West, 48, smiled while Musk seemingly attempted to break the tension with laughter.
“And what do you do?” the “Heartless” rapper responded.
“You probably know exactly. I’m like, ‘Whoa, OK,’” the businessman said.
The two then stood in silence until West finally said, “I don’t have the answers. Answers to everything except for that.”
Since splitting, the former couple have taken their contentious custody battle public, with Grimes alleging via X last year that she hadn’t seen one of her kids in five months amid negotiations.
Grimes also publicly advocated for the privacy of her kids in February after Musk brought their eldest son to meet with President Trump at the White House.
West and Kardashian, meanwhile, parted ways in 2021 after seven years of marriage and four children.
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