Kanye West wanted to remove the windows and electricity from his $57 million Malibu home to turn it into a “1910s bomb shelter,” according to a new lawsuit.
The I Wonder rapper, 46, is being sued by the renovation project’s former manager, Tony Saxon, who claims he was fired after “raising concerns about the extreme danger of such actions.” TMZ.
According to Saxon’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, he was hired for the project in September 2021 and worked 16 hours a day at the Tadao Ando-designed beach house.
Saxon claims he slept on the floor of the house while working as a “project manager, caretaker and 24/7 security” for the property.
Saxon claims West only paid him for one week of work and ignored all of his concerns until he was ultimately fired in November 2021 after refusing to remove the home’s windows and electricity.
Lawsuit: Kanye West wanted to remove windows and electricity from his $57 million Malibu home to turn it into a ‘bomb shelter,’ according to a new lawsuit; pictured in May with Bianca Censori
Extreme: The 46-year-old rapper is being sued by former renovation project manager Tony Saxon, who claims he was fired after “raising concerns about the extreme danger of such actions,” according to TMZ; The windowless house in Malibu was spotted on Wednesday
Kanye suggested installing large generators in the house, but Saxon was concerned that this would pose a fire hazard.
Saxon claims Kanye then threatened him, saying he would be considered “an enemy” if he didn’t fulfill Kanye’s vision.
When Saxon still didn’t agree, Kanye told him to “get out,” according to the lawsuit.
Saxon also claims the hip-hop mogul told him, “If you don’t do what I say, you’re not going to work for me, I’m not going to be your friend anymore and you’re just going to see me on TV.” ‘
After telling the father of four that he doesn’t watch TV, he was promptly fired on the spot.
In the lawsuit, Saxon said the rapper’s vision for the house was to create something like “a 1910s fallout shelter,” according to NBC Newsand demolish the marble bathrooms, as well as remove the windows, plumbing and electricity.
He also reportedly wanted to replace the stairs with slides.
Saxon is now suing Kim Kardashian’s ex-husband for a number of labor law violations, more than $1 million in unpaid wages and damages.
Interesting concept: West reportedly wanted to demolish the marble bathrooms, as well as remove the windows, plumbing and electricity. He also wanted to replace the stairs with slides
A place to hide: “We were going to take all that out and build him a kind of Bat Cave,” Saxon explained, according to NBC News, adding that the rapper wanted a place where he could “get in front of the Clintons and the Kardashians in’; The house seen with windows in 2021
Demanding job: Saxon claims he slept on the floor of the house while working as “project manager, caretaker and 24/7 security” for the property; Guards pictured outside the house
“We were going to take all that out and build him a Bat Cave of sorts,” Saxon explained, adding that the rapper wanted a place where he could “hide from the Clintons and the Kardashians.”
While Saxon believed the house was more of an “art project,” he later realized that Kanye actually wanted to live in it.
He said Kanye “didn’t want electricity.” He just wanted to plant. He just wanted candles. He just wanted battery lighting. And he just wanted everything open and dark.”
The lawsuit was filed by West Coast Employment Lawyers, the same lawyers who sued the musician on behalf of former employees of Kanye’s private Christian school, Donda Academy, for alleged health and safety violations.
In recent photos of the home, the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean have been removed, leaving that side open to all the elements.
The inside of the house appears to be crumbling and the metal railings are rusting after being exposed to the salty air, wind and water.
West purchased his 4,000-square-foot oceanfront estate in September 2021. It features giant windows overlooking the sea.
He enlisted the help of famed Japanese architect Tadao Ando and brought in top contractors to oversee the extensive renovation plans.
But the following summer, renovations stopped and the gutted, windowless mansion stood empty. Months later, Ye was dropped by several business partners and brands due to his anti-Semitic outbursts.
Legal Troubles: Saxon is now suing Kim Kardashian’s ex-husband for a number of labor law violations, unpaid wages and damages; West seen in 2020
Issue: The lawsuit was filed by the same attorneys who sued the rapper on behalf of former employees of his private Christian school, alleging health and safety violations
Ye’s neighbors in Malibu told TMZ that his mansion was “on the sidelines” and that they “hadn’t seen anyone in months.”
You were previously seen at the property last summer to check out the progress, but his empire has since dramatically imploded after he launched several anti-Semitic rants, leading to the loss of approximately $1.6 billion of his net worth and his downfall . according to CBS News from Forbes’ billionaires list.
Ye has several other properties across the country, including one sprawling ranch in Calabasas, Los Angeles, which he bought in 2019 for an estimated $3 million.
He also owns a sprawling ranch in Wyoming, which he bought when he reportedly became “obsessed” with the Midwest state several years ago.