The Source |Kanye West Reportedly Hit With $1 Million Lawsuit Over “Nebuchadnezzar” Opera

Kanye West and Live Nation are allegedly being sued over West’s 2019 Nebuchadnezzar opera.

Per reports, members of the production staff have filed a $1 million class-action suit against the rapper for “unpaid wages.” According to court documents, the plaintiffs include “dozens” of individuals hired for the show with roles that include a hair assistant and even background actors who were hired to perform as audience members.

Live Nation was included in the same suit as a co-defendant for their involvement in overseeing and controlling the production of the show. All parties involved reportedly failed to pay minimum wage, overtime and did not provide pay stubs. The suit also alleges that some workers did not receive compensation at all.

Directed by Vanessa Beecroft and staring Sheck Wes as the title character, the opera was originally staged at the Hollywood Bowl in 2019. West opted to reimagine the biblical story of King Nebuchadnezzar, expanding on his series of Sunday Service gatherings that year and bringing in another level to the integration of Christianity and Gospel into his art.

Despite its grand production, Nebuchadnezzar was largely experienced via streaming for most. Reception for the opera was largely mixed with Kanye’s involvement onstage being fairly limited as he took on the role of narrator before joining his cast for a final bow.

Kanye West has yet to speak out about these allegations.