Kanye West, also known as Ye, has opted out of attending a recent court hearing in his ongoing lawsuit with Gap, following the departure of his lawyer, Brian Brumfield, in August.
According to In Touch, court documents show that the hearing took place on September 12 in Los Angeles Superior Court, but neither Ye nor his company, Yeezy, appeared. The judge noted that West had not informed the court of a new legal representative after Brumfield’s withdrawal. Furthermore, the rapper is expected to sit for his deposition soon.
Ye entered into a business partnership with Gap in 2020, agreeing to sell Yeezy-branded clothing in Gap stores worldwide. However, legal troubles began when modifications were made to a building Yeezy was using under the Gap agreement. The building was leased to Gap by Art City Center, which subsequently sued the retailer over the unauthorized changes.
In the 2022 lawsuit, Art City Center accused Gap of making “significant, unapproved modifications” to the property and demanded over $800,000 in damages. Gap denied responsibility, countering by blaming Ye’s company for the changes.
The countersuit claimed, “By making and not repairing or restoring the foregoing alterations of the Premises that [Ye] made without Gap’s participation or approval, [Ye] breached the Strategic Agreement and directly and proximately caused Gap to incur expenses to repair and restore the premises.”
As the legal battle continues, Kanye West’s absence from court and the upcoming deposition add another layer of complexity to the lawsuit, which has already seen multiple twists since its inception.