Kanye West Sued by Musician Who Says He Was Locked in Wyoming High School to Write Opera

Kanye West faces a new federal lawsuit from an opera musician alleging he was locked inside a Wyoming high school band room in 2019 to compose music for the biblical opera Nebuchadnezzar.

Plaintiff Chase Taylor filed the complaint on Wednesday in federal court in North Carolina, according to reporting by Rolling Stone. Taylor claims he was recruited for a starring role in what he believed was a finished production before flying from North Carolina to Cody, Wyoming, with less than a week left before the Hollywood Bowl performance.

Instead of rehearsing, Taylor alleges he was ushered into the Cody High School band room and locked inside. He states he quickly discovered the opera had not actually been written.

Kanye West Sued by Musician Who Says He Was Locked in Wyoming High School to Write Opera

“Defendants locked the door and ordered Taylor to work until the opera was done,” the lawsuit says, noting that producers promised lucrative compensation and producer credits to secure his compliance.

Taylor claims he was expected to act as the lead performer and soloist while also composing much of the music and making the production performance-ready in four days. He also alleges he had to manage other musicians who slept on the floor of the cramped band room during breaks.

According to the court filing, Taylor objected to the conditions and asked defendants to unlock the doors, provide sufficient food and water, and allow adequate sleeping time for the more than 150 performers. Those requests were allegedly ignored.

Prior Legal Battles and Settlements

The new complaint follows a similar lawsuit filed by fellow musician Willie Alexander in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Alexander also claims he was lured to Wyoming and forced to compose the opera from scratch under a rushed timeline.

Alexander’s lawsuit includes claims of negligent misrepresentation, misappropriation of likeness, and false promises. That case remains pending, with a mandatory settlement conference scheduled for Jan. 12, 2027.

In a separate dispute involving the same 2019 production, West agreed to pay $1.35 million to settle a class-action lawsuit for hundreds of performers and workers. A court granted final approval for that settlement in July 2025.

Court filings show that more than 600 class members received settlement checks, though 257 checks totaling $277,210 went uncashed by the deadline. A hearing to review the status of that settlement is set for Dec. 8.

Copyright Infringement Allegations

Taylor further alleges that West and his employees portrayed both Nebuchadnezzar and a second opera titled Mary as charitable religious productions meant to “save souls.” Attendees were charged for tickets, and the profits were allegedly pocketed by West and co-defendant companies, according to the 45-page filing.

The lawsuit also claims that West incorporated Taylor’s compositions and arrangements into commercially released tracks without permission or compensation. These allegedly include the Travis Scott song “Telekinesis,” which credits West as a co-writer, and several songs from Vultures 2.

Taylor is seeking a court declaration recognizing his copyright ownership, a share of profits from the contested songs, and damages for fraud, false imprisonment, and unfair business practices.

Attempts by reporters to reach a lawyer or spokesperson for West were not immediately successful.