Rapper Kanye West is facing a federal lawsuit from opera singer Chase Taylor, who alleges he was locked inside a Wyoming high school band room and pressured to help complete an unfinished opera in just four days for a 2019 performance at the Hollywood Bowl.

Taylor filed the 45-page complaint on November 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The lawsuit names West, also known as Ye, along with Very Good Touring, Getting Out Our Dreams, Yeezy LLC, and Yeezy Apparel LLC as defendants.

Taylor says he accepted a principal singing role in West's production of Nebuchadnezzar expecting to rehearse an already completed opera. Instead, he alleges he arrived to find unfinished material and was given four days to help transform it into a production ready for the stage.

According to the complaint, Taylor flew from North Carolina to Cody, Wyoming, on November 20, 2019. Producer Paul Johnson allegedly transported him to Cody High School, where Taylor says he entered a band room and found the doors locked. He claims he could not leave freely and even needed Johnson's approval to use the bathroom.

Taylor also describes cramped working conditions in which musicians sat and slept on the floor during breaks. The production involved more than 150 performers, and the complaint alleges that food was insufficient. Taylor says requests for unlocked doors, drinking water, and additional time to sleep went unanswered.

His responsibilities allegedly expanded well beyond his original singing role. Taylor claims he was required to compose music, orchestrate arrangements, direct rehearsals, and teach musicians their parts as the production was prepared under an extremely tight deadline.

The complaint places Taylor's work in Wyoming between November 20 and November 22, followed by travel to Los Angeles, where rehearsals continued ahead of the opera's premiere.

Nebuchadnezzar opened at the Hollywood Bowl on November 24, 2019. Directed by Vanessa Beecroft, the production featured Sheck Wes portraying the biblical king, while West initially narrated passages from the Book of Daniel before joining the performers for the curtain call.

Taylor alleges his role changed repeatedly during the preparation process. He was initially recruited to portray Daniel but was later reassigned as the narrator before West assumed that role. Taylor ultimately performed as an unnamed featured soloist, with additional piano and synthesizer responsibilities.

The lawsuit also concerns West's second opera, Mary, which premiered at Miami Marine Stadium on December 8, 2019. The production depicted the Nativity story on a barge, with performers wearing silver clothing and body paint.

Taylor claims he agreed to reduced compensation after being told the productions were charitable religious projects. However, he alleges the defendants sold tickets, retained the proceeds, and failed to fulfill promises of substantial payment, producer credits and future employment.

The singer also claims his musical contributions were later used in recordings and performances without his authorization or compensation. His attorneys identify West's songs "Hurricane," "Wash Us in the Blood" and "Eternal Life" among the works involved in the dispute. Taylor says he never signed away his creative rights. His claim involving "Hurricane" specifically concerns an arrangement he created of West's previously released song "Devil in a New Dress."

Taylor is seeking recognition as an author and copyright owner, an accounting of profits, and monetary damages. The lawsuit includes claims of false imprisonment, fraud and unfair business practices, and requests a jury trial.

The case follows other legal disputes involving West's opera productions. Musician Willie Alexander has a separate lawsuit pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging he also traveled to Wyoming expecting an existing score but was required to help write the production. A settlement conference in that case is scheduled for January 12, 2027.

Additionally, a worker class-action lawsuit involving Nebuchadnezzar resulted in a $1.35 million settlement that received final court approval in July 2025. More than 600 class members were subsequently sent settlement payments.

Rolling Stone reported November 13 that attempts to reach an attorney or spokesperson for West had been unsuccessful. The allegations in Taylor's lawsuit have not been established in court.