KANYE WEST is facing a courtroom showdown today as a bombshell trial kicks off over his “dangerous” Malibu dream home turned “living nightmare.”

The rap superstar, 48, is being hauled before a jury as a former contractor demands a cool $1 MILLION (£800,000) in damages for unpaid wages and “horrific” working conditions.
Builder Tony Saxon claims he was treated like a “slave” while working on the rapper’s concrete fortress—alleging he was forced to pull 16-hour shifts and sleep on a makeshift bed in a house with no electricity.
STAIRWAY TO… SLIDE?
The drama began in 2021 when Ye—who legally changed his name from Kanye West—splashed out a staggering $57.3 million (£45m) on a beachfront mansion designed by legendary architect Tadao Ando.
But instead of a luxury renovation, court documents obtained by The Sun paint a picture of total chaos.
Saxon, hired as a project manager, claims the Gold Digger singer ordered him to:
RIP OUT the designer kitchen and all five bathrooms.
TEAR DOWN the stairs and replace them with a giant slide.
CUT OFF all the electricity and water.

“Ye has shown a reckless disregard toward his employees and has flouted the law in unbelievably dangerous ways,” fumed Saxon’s lawyer, Ron Zambrano.
‘HE WAS STANDING OVER ME’
In a chilling 40-page lawsuit, Saxon describes the “hellish” environment inside the gutted shell of the house.
He claims he was forced to work around the clock, catching sleep whenever he could on a “makeshift bed” on the floor. In one skin-crawling allegation, Saxon says he once woke up in the dead of night to find the Yeezy mogul standing over him in the dark.
Despite the “extreme” conditions, Saxon claims the rapper promised him a whopping $20,000 (£16,000) A WEEK—but alleges the checks stopped coming after just two payments.
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BACK-BREAKING WORK
The situation turned “bloody” in November 2021 when Saxon says he “severely injured” his back on the site.
But instead of sympathy, he claims the rapper demanded the work continue regardless of the pain. When Saxon finally put his foot down over the “illegal” and “hazardous” conditions, he says he was booted off the project and left penniless.
“No employee should have to suffer through the sort of working conditions Mr. Saxon was forced to endure,” Zambrano added. “Ye showed no concern and merely wanted the work done.”
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BIANCA IN THE HOT SEAT
The trial, which begins today (Feb 23) with jury selection in Los Angeles, is expected to be a star-studded affair.
While the cameras are BANNED from the courtroom, insiders say Ye’s wife, Bianca Censori, is expected to take the stand to testify.
The Aussie architect was reportedly heavily involved in the renovation plans before the couple eventually gave up on the project.
In a final twist to the property saga, Ye reportedly offloaded the “hollowed-out” mansion for just $21 million (£16.5m) in September 2024—taking a massive $36 million (£28.5m) LOSS on the sale.

THE DEFENCE
Ye has fiercely denied all the allegations, calling the claims “baseless.” His legal team is expected to argue that Saxon was paid fairly and that the “unsafe” conditions were part of the construction process.
But with Saxon seeking a million-dollar payday for medical costs and “emotional distress,” this is one battle the rapper might not be able to “autotune” his way out of.
The jury is expected to hear weeks of explosive evidence about what really went on behind the concrete walls of the world’s most expensive “construction site.”