Kanye West Struggles to Stay Awake in Malibu Mansion Trial Testimony

He nearly added more Z’s to Yeezy while testifying Friday at a trial over his former Malibu mansion. Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom and repeatedly yawned, closed his eyes for long stretches, and at times seemed to catch his head falling forward as if dozing while seated on the witness stand.

Speaking in monotone, he answered “I don’t recall” to dozens of questions about the architecturally significant Malibu house he bought for $57 million in 2021 and later sold at a steep loss. The sleepy performance prompted glances among people in the gallery. Ron Zambrano, the lawyer representing the plaintiff Tony Saxon, even turned around at one point and mouthed to a colleague, “Is he asleep?” The judge appeared to notice as well, asking Zambrano to “make things a little snappier” during the afternoon session.

After one particularly long pause with his eyes seemingly closed, Ye asked Zambrano to repeat a question. The courtroom stenographer read it back: “When you hired Saxon, did you understand you had hired Saxon to help you execute your vision for the Ando house?” “Ask it again, please,” Ye said. The stenographer then read Zambrano’s question aloud a second time.

“Yes,” Ye finally replied, looking exhausted.