Rapper Kanye West is in serious trouble as America's Next Top Model contestant Jenn An has sued him for allegedly assaulting her by choking her during the filming of a music video in 2010, reported People.
"In the lawsuit filed in New York federal court, the model accused the rapper, of staging "his own production" by asking a camera crew to film him choking her during the filming of the music video for La Roux's song "In for the Kill," which featured West on a remix," as per People. The suit obtained stated that An was working as a background actress for the video at New York City's Chelsea Hotel in September 2010. The plaintiff allegedly told the rapper that she was not wearing very much, to which, he allegedly responded by saying that was the reason why he chose her. She mentioned that he asked other background artists to leave the room. "On camera, defendant West began to choke plaintiff with one hand. He then wrapped his other hand around her neck and continued to strangle her with both hands," the suit alleged. "Plaintiff struggled to breathe and felt as if she had temporarily blacked out. When defendant West decided that he was finished with plaintiff, her face was covered in saliva and smeared makeup," the suit said. "Universal Music Group (UMG) is also named as a co-defendant in the case, as An alleged that the company "failed to investigate" the incident. The lawsuit stated that West's "gendered, hateful, and abusive controversies were a brand, which was too profitable for Defendant Universal Music to intervene, despite his unlawful conduct," reported the outlet. Jenn stated that West violated New York's Gender Motivated Violence Act and she is asking a judge for trial by jury for punitive damages, legal fees and "damages for mental, emotional and physical injury, distress, pain and suffering and injury to reputation." Her attorneys also noted that UMG "systematically discriminates against women, by continuing to work with artists with well-documented histories of sexual harassment and discrimination." The suit also stated that UMG and its affiliate labels including Interscope Records and "other high-profile figures within the industry [tried to] 'bury' the incident," as per People. (ANI)
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