A Los Angeles man has sued Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, alleging the rapper sucker-punched him at a private dining venue two years ago while he was seated outside, according to legal documents obtained by TheWrap.
The plaintiff, identified in the document only as John Doe, says Ye approached him at approximately 11 p.m. on April 16, 2024, and punched him in the face without warning, knocking him to the ground and causing him to lose consciousness. The complaint says Ye then continued to strike him while he was on the ground.
The filing identified neither the venue nor the plaintiff, who stated concerns about personal safety and reputational harm, but indicated a willingness to disclose his identity to the court under appropriate protective measures.
Ye was under investigation in mid-April of 2024 for an incident at the famed Chateau Marmont, where his wife Bianca Censori said she had been assaulted in a crowded lobby area, according to a report by TMZ, which cited reps for Censori. The report said Ye went looking for the man in question, but wound up allegedly punching the wrong guy – as he has a twin brother who was also there that night.
TMZ identified those twins as owners of several celebrity hot-spot restaurants in Los Angeles, but did not specify which of the them was assaulted. Though police showed up and a report was created, no criminal charges were ever filed.
The civil lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for assault and emotional distress. Recent legal counsel for the rapper did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.
The undated complaint, prepared for filing in California Superior Court, states that the plaintiff sustained serious physical injuries requiring medical treatment and incurred related medical expenses. The emotional-distress count alleges that Ye made statements in the days following the altercation that mischaracterized what happened, including accusing the plaintiff of inappropriate conduct toward a woman at the gathering, which he denies.
The man says those claims were repeated and amplified during a widely viewed podcast appearance and circulated broadly on social media, damaging the plaintiff’s personal and professional reputation. He also says video evidence from the scene shows he did not engage in any inappropriate behavior prior to the alleged attack.
The lawsuit names Ye as the primary defendant, along with up to 25 unnamed individuals whose roles have not yet been identified.
