Kanye West, the iconic and often controversial rapper, has recently faced significant career setbacks and financial challenges. Within a year of its launch, West has decided to shut down his Yews News platform. Simultaneously, his fashion enterprise, Yeezy, has drastically reduced prices on all its products to a mere $20, a move that indicates deeper financial distress.

The Yews News platform, launched in December, was initially accessible only through mobile devices. It featured drop-down menus at 10 am, 3 pm, and 8 pm, providing a variety of content on fashion, politics, and updates on West's career following his abrupt exit from mainstream media. According to The Sun, the site had little original content and primarily sourced news from prominent publications, occasionally interspersed with unexpected religious imagery.

Currently, the once vibrant and professionally curated website now displays a stark, empty image with the message "No items found." The platform's X account, which previously kept up with the latest updates, shows that the most recent news was posted in late April. Before its launch, West had filed trademark applications for "Yews," intending to cover a broad range of sectors, including education, advertising, banking services, music streaming, television, beauty products, food and beverages, gaming, apparel, footwear, kitchenware, and alcoholic drinks.

Amid the Yews News platform's shutdown, West has also made significant changes to his Yeezy fashion website. In an effort to attract more customers, he has slashed prices on his merchandise, offering T-shirts, jogging pants, and sweatshirts at a bargain price of just $20 each. This price reduction is a stark contrast to Yeezy's typical pricing and suggests financial strains within the business.

Adding to West's troubles, he and his wife, Bianca Censori, have been hit with a lawsuit filed in a US District Court. The lawsuit alleges that West and his former chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, created a toxic and harmful workplace environment during the production of an app intended to support West's music career. According to the legal complaint reviewed by TMZ, West and Yiannopoulos engaged a global development team, which included individuals of African descent and minors as young as 14. The lawsuit claims that West aimed to avoid compensating these firms for marketing his latest music projects, Vultures and Vultures 2.

The remote-based team members maintained steady communication with West, Yiannopoulos, and their colleagues through various digital tools like Discord, Zoom, and Slack. However, working conditions reportedly deteriorated as supervisors hired by West, who were predominantly white, fostered a toxic workplace environment. The international and minority staff allegedly faced derogatory language, extensive unpaid working hours, racial slurs, and dehumanizing treatment, being labeled as "modern-day slaves."

Further allegations suggest that Censori shared inappropriate content with a colleague, inadvertently exposing minors to explicit material while working on the app. Following the app's completion on May 1, 2024, the team showcased their work to West, only to find themselves without compensation. Consequently, the workers have initiated legal action to claim unpaid wages, overtime pay, and compensation for emotional hardship.

Despite these setbacks, West continues to navigate his complex career landscape. The decision to shut down Yews News and the drastic price reductions in Yeezy merchandise reflect ongoing financial challenges. Meanwhile, the lawsuit underscores the growing scrutiny on West's business practices and the alleged mistreatment of employees.