Saxon testified Ye ordered him to live at the construction site 24/7 and woke him abruptly at night
Saxon claimed he suffered a back injury during demolition work on Ye's $57.3 million Malibu mansion
Ye's lawyer argued Saxon was an unlicensed contractor who independently destroyed the property
The renovation involved removing all utilities and glass to create an 'off-the-grid bunker'
Ye and his wife Bianca Censori are expected to testify later in the trial
📖 Full Retelling
Tony Saxon testified in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, that Kanye West, now known as Ye, ordered him to live round-the-clock at a Malibu beach house during demolition and twice woke him abruptly in the night, as part of a civil lawsuit claiming injuries suffered while working for the music mogul. Saxon, 35, described waking to find Ye towering over his makeshift bed on the concrete floor at 3 or 4 a.m., asking why he wasn't working despite having no proper sleeping arrangements beyond a mattress, bottled water and Ensure protein drinks. The former project manager detailed how he maintained a friendly rapport with Ye, addressing each other as 'brother' with heart emojis in their frequent text messages, while being constantly on edge due to unpredictable demands. Saxon worked for six weeks beginning in September 2021, overseeing the aggressive gutting of the contemporary, poured-concrete home designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, which Ye had purchased for $57.3 million that same year. The musician wanted to transform the 'architectural gem' into an open-concept, off-grid bunker with privatized Wi-Fi and renewable energy, removing all wiring, plumbing, glass, windows and even a 'gorgeous' black-marble bathroom. Saxon claimed Ye insisted the work remain inconspicuous without proper permits, instructing him to keep everything 'under the radar and low-key' to avoid being shut down, while also unexpectedly showing kindness by taking him to the Nobu Hotel for a bath after noticing he hadn't showered for days. The plaintiff testified he suffered a severe back injury while dismantling chimney stacks using a pulley system, though Ye's attorney disputed there was any medical evidence of workplace injury, arguing Saxon was an unlicensed contractor who unilaterally destroyed the property.
Coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information in a tribunal
In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, which may occur before a judge, jury, or other designated...
Demolition (also known as razing and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for reuse purp...
Ye ( YAY; born Kanye Omari West KAHN-yay, June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He has been listed among the greatest rappers of all time and referred to as one of the most prominent figures in hip-hop. His music is characterized by frequent stylistic shifts and has ...
Trial Testimony Kanye West Allegedly Ordered Man to Live at Beach House Amid Demolition: ‘You Can’t Leave’ Tony Saxon walked jurors through pages of text messages exchanged with the music mogul now known as Ye By Nancy Dillon Nancy Dillon Contact Nancy Dillon on X Contact Nancy Dillon by Email View all posts by Nancy Dillon February 25, 2026 The man suing Kanye West over injuries allegedly suffered during demolition of a famed Malibu mansion testified on Wednesday, Feb. 25, that the rapper, now known as Ye, ordered him to live round-the-clock at the coastal construction site and twice jolted him awake in the middle of the night without warning. Tony Saxon said that on one occasion, he woke to find Ye towering over his small makeshift bed. Jurors saw a photo of Saxon’s small mattress splayed on a bare concrete floor beside a case of bottled water and some Ensure protein drinks. “He stood over me and asked, ‘Why are you not working?’” Saxon recalled after being sworn in as the first witness at the civil trial in downtown Los Angeles. “It was like three or four in the morning. I said, ‘I have to sleep sometime.’” Saxon, 35, said he was unsure how seriously to take the question but recalled that Ye “chuckled” at his response. He testified that the two had developed a friendly rapport, and he continued working for the Grammy-winning artist, who was married to Kim Kardashian at the time, for six weeks beginning in September 2021. The two men exchanged frequent messages, addressing each other as “brother” and responding with heart emojis, according to text messages displayed Wednesday on courtroom screens. But Saxon said Ye kept him constantly on edge, demanding photo updates of construction work, scolding him for wearing blue instead of the all-black worker uniform Ye preferred, and suddenly adding 24/7 security duties to his workload. During a full day on the witness stand, Saxon walked jurors through pages of text messages filled with photos, updates, and even a budget ...
