Musician sues Kanye West over 2019 opera work

Musician Chase Taylor has sued Kanye West in North Carolina, alleging West and other defendants confined him in a Wyoming high school band room in 2019 and required him to help finish the opera Nebuchadnezzar in four days. The lawsuit also alleges that more than 150 performers faced inadequate food and water and insufficient time to sleep during the production. The allegations have not been established in court.

Taylor says he traveled from North Carolina believing the opera was substantially complete and that he would perform in it. After arriving at Cody High School, he learned it remained unfinished, the complaint alleges. Taylor was expected to compose music and help make the production ready for a performance at the Hollywood Bowl, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint says defendants promised Taylor compensation, producer credit and future work to secure his participation. It alleges he objected to the conditions and asked, through West’s producer, for the band-room doors to be unlocked, adequate food and water, and time for performers to sleep. The lawsuit says those requests were ignored. It also alleges performers sat or slept on the floor.