Kanye West, known as Ye, faces a new lawsuit in a U.S. federal court in North Carolina over his biblical opera Nebuchadnezzar. The plaintiff, opera musician Chase Taylor, says he was locked inside a high school band room in Wyoming to compose music for a production later performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 2019.
Allegations in the new filing#
Taylor alleges that West recruited him for a starring role in what he believed was a completed opera. After he flew from North Carolina to Wyoming with less than a week to rehearse, he was taken to Cody High School, led into the band room and locked inside, according to the complaint. He says he learned only after arriving that the opera was far from finished.
In addition to serving as lead performer and soloist, Taylor was expected to compose much of the music and make the production “performance-ready in just four days,” the lawsuit claims.
“Defendants locked the door and ordered Taylor to work until the opera was done. To secure Taylor’s compliance, defendants including West promised lucrative compensation, producer credit, and future work,” the lawsuit states.
Taylor and his lawyers say he objected to being confined, but his complaints were not addressed.
According to the filing, Taylor was tasked with managing other musicians, who sat and slept on the floor of the cramped band room when they needed a break. He claims West and his employees did not provide enough food for the more than 150 performers involved in what he describes as a rushed and chaotic production.
“Taylor objected to the abusive conditions and asked defendants [through West’s producer] to unlock the band room doors, provide sufficient food and water, and provide appropriate time off for the musicians to sleep. Defendants ignored these requests,” the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in North Carolina. Taylor and West’s camp allegedly entered into a 2020 agreement suspending legal deadlines for Taylor’s claims, an arrangement often used to give parties time to resolve disputes without litigation.
Claims about a second opera and ticket sales#
Taylor also alleges he was persuaded to work at reduced rates under false pretenses. He says West and his employees portrayed both Nebuchadnezzar and a second opera he worked on, Mary, as charitable religious productions, and that he was told the proceeds would be used to “save souls.” According to the complaint, that was not the case.
“Defendants repeatedly told Taylor that the operas were non-profit engagements performed for religious purposes. That was a lie. West and his co-defendant companies charged attendees for tickets, and, on information and belief, pocketed the profits,” the 45-page filing states.
A similar suit and an earlier settlement#
The filing follows a similar lawsuit from fellow musician Willie Alexander, who also claims he was lured to Wyoming for Nebuchadnezzar and was “shocked to discover that the opera had not been written at all.” Alexander alleges he was “required to compose and arrange the opera, largely from scratch” under the same timeframe.
Alexander’s lawsuit includes claims of negligent and intentional misrepresentation, misappropriation of his likeness, and false promises that induced him to provide professional services at a reduced rate. It remains pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court, with a mandatory settlement conference set for Jan. 12, 2027.
In a separate matter, West agreed to pay $1.35 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of hundreds of performers and other workers involved in the 2019 production of Nebuchadnezzar. Key details from court filings include:
- A court granted final approval of the settlement in July 2025.
- More than 600 class members received settlement checks.
- A May notice reported that 257 checks, totaling $277,210, had not been cashed by the deadline.
- A hearing to review the status of the settlement is scheduled for Dec. 8.
