Ye accused of 'pornographic' choking on La Roux music video set by model in lawsuit
Rapper Ye is facing allegations of choking a model in a "pornographic" way on the set of a 2010 music video, according to a new lawsuit.
Lawyers for model and former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Jennifer An allege the rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, choked her with both hands on the set of La Roux's "In for the Kill" music video, according to a complaint filed Friday in federal court and obtained by Paste BN.
An, a finalist on Season 13 of Tyra Banks' modeling competition show, was hired alongside other female background actors and models and told to line up in the hallway by Ye, the complaint says. He then allegedly pointed to two models, including An, and said: "Give me the Asian girl."
The complaint alleges Ye used both hands to smother the model and continuously inserted his fingers into her throat, screaming, "This is art. This is (expletive) art. I am like Picasso."
Ye allegedly told cameras on set to film the assault, and while An began to panic and look around for others to intervene, the complaint says she felt "on her own" despite being in a room full of people.
"Women in the music and entertainment industries have been subject to sexual abuse for years with no recourse to speak out or implement change. This space is a dangerous place for women. We are essentially objects in the entertainment world," An said in a statement shared by her legal team Monday.
The complaint, filed in the southern district of New York, also alleges a cover-up of the alleged assault by others on set and a culture of sexual harassment at Universal Music Group, which is also named in the suit. UMG "promoted/perpetuated a culture rampant with sexual harassment and assault by continuing to work with male artists who are known to sexually abuse women," the complaint reads.
La Roux, the English pop duo whose music video is at the center of the dispute, reportedly told a friend that they had seen "upsetting, unsettling" behavior on set, according to the complaint. A few weeks after the conversation, the filing alleges that Ye demanded an apology in writing from La Roux.
Paste BN has reached out to Ye's lawyers, Universal Music Group and La Roux's reps for comment.
Ye's ongoing legal troubles
The filing this week is just the latest in an ongoing barrage of lawsuits against Ye that allege sexually abusive and inappropriate behavior.
In a lawsuit filed in October of this year, Ye is accused of using his professional status to spy on ex-wife Kim Kardashian and current partner Bianca Censori.
The rapper is also accused in a lawsuit of drugging and sexually assaulting an ex-assistant at a studio session with incarcerated music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who faces his own onslaught of sexual assault allegations in a bevy of civil suits.
Separate lawsuits filed against Ye also allege a pattern of antisemitic behavior.
Contributing: Edward Segarra, Brendan Morrow