Kanye West pushed back against sexual assault accusations tied to a 2010 music video shoot by asking a judge to toss a lawsuit filed by Jenn An, a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model, who claims the rapper attacked her during filming.
In court documents filed in August, West’s legal team argued that An’s lawsuit is an attempt to punish him for his public statements, not a legitimate legal claim, Us Weekly reports.
They pointed to her references to his past antisemitic remarks and controversial takes on sexual assault survivors as evidence of ulterior motives.
“These alleged quotations bear no relevance to the claims in this case and are presented without meaningful context,” West’s attorney wrote. “Their inclusion should be considered as facts to support arguments regarding [An’s] motive to bring this lawsuit — to silence [West] for his controversial speech on matters of public concern.”
An filed the suit in November 2024, alleging that West took over directing duties during the shoot for La Roux’s “In for the Kill” remix and assaulted her on camera.
She claims he ordered her to sit, then choked her and shoved his fingers down her throat while declaring, “This is art. This is f###### art. I am like Picasso.”
According to the complaint, the incident lasted more than a minute, during which An says she struggled to breathe. She also alleges that someone on set encouraged the behavior rather than intervening.
West’s legal team countered that the video involved physical interaction between performers and that An never voiced discomfort or attempted to leave the set.
“At no point during the production did [An] object to her role, express a lack of consent to participate, nor attempt to leave the performance,” the filing states.
They also warned that allowing the case to move forward could set a dangerous precedent for artists and directors working on provocative content.
“To permit such claims to proceed would mean that every actor, director, and artist involved in provocative film, theater, or music video productions — whether depicting violence, sexuality, or both — could face retroactive criminalization,” the response reads.
An’s attorney, Jesse Weinstein, dismissed West’s argument that the act was artistic expression.
“While Ye is certainly entitled to defend himself in this suit, we refuse to adopt his idea that sexually assaulting Ms. An was somehow justified as ‘art,’” Weinstein said. “This was an unscripted moment that he took it upon himself to create, much to the dismay and shock of nearly everyone around him.”
The lawsuit adds to West’s mounting legal issues. In June 2024, his former assistant Lauren Pisciotta amended a separate complaint accusing him of sexual assault, battery and sex trafficking.
Other lawsuits from ex-Yeezy staffers and Donda Academy employees remain active.
An, who appeared on season 13 of America’s Next Top Model in 2009, is seeking damages for emotional distress. West is asking the court to dismiss the case entirely.
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