Kanye West Seeks Dismissal of Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Cites 'Artistic Method' Defense
Recording artist Kanye West has claimed that Jenn An, a past participant on America’s Next Top Model, is attempting to muzzle him through a lawsuit concerning an alleged sexual assault that occurred on a film set in 2010, an exclusive revelation by Us Weekly.
Court documents were submitted by West, aged 48, on August 19, aiming to have An’s legal action — initiated in November 2024 regarding a purported event during a 2010 music video shoot — thrown out.
Legal counsel for the musician criticized An for incorporating details in her complaint regarding West’s recent “antisemitic messages” shared on X, which included praise for Hitler, along with multiple statements where he showed disdain for sexual assault survivors.
West’s attorney informed the court that, “These supposed quotes are irrelevant to the allegations in this matter and are provided without proper context. Their presence should be viewed as evidence supporting the contention that [An’s] intent in filing this lawsuit is to curb [West’s] controversial public statements on topics of general interest.
Previously in the submission, the legal representative for the “Flashing Lights” artist asserted that the making of the music video, “similar to thousands of theatrical presentations and films preceding it, involved physical contact among the performers (in this instance, West and [An]).”
The counsel further stated, “During the entire production, [An] neither raised objections to her part, conveyed any absence of consent to be involved, nor tried to exit the performance, nor does her [lawsuit] claim any of these actions.”
West emphasized that the purported assault occurred with a crew and cameras present. “Allowing such accusations to advance would imply that every actor, director, and creative individual engaged in suggestive film, theatrical, or music video productions — be it portraying violence, sexuality, or a combination — might face retrospective criminal charges and individual accountability if a performer later comes to regret or reinterpret their involvement,” the rapper’s legal filing declared.
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Within his legal submission, West charged An — who was a contestant on the 13th season of Tyra Banks’ erstwhile reality program America’s Next Top Model in 2009 — with trying to “penalize his artistic method and restrict his creative expression.”
West requested the dismissal of the lawsuit from the court.
An detailed in her complaint that she had been employed as a background actor/model for the music video accompanying singer La Roux’s track “In for the Kill.”
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West participated in the remix version and shot a music video for the song in September 2010. An asserted that West desired the setting to resemble the movie American Psycho.
The lawsuit alleged that West assumed directorial control of the video. An stated that West instructed her to be seated. She further claimed he directed the camera operator to record as he choked her using one hand.
“He subsequently encircled her neck with his other hand, persisting in strangling her with both hands,” the complaint detailed. “West then covered [An’s] face with both hands, causing her makeup to smudge.”
“He then forced multiple fingers into her throat, moving them repeatedly in and out and causing her to gag (an action [An] estimated lasted over a minute) in an attempt to mimic non-consensual oral sex, all while shouting, ‘This is art. This is fucking art. I am like Picasso.’”
She recounted that an individual on the set, described as a third party, “did not step in to halt the sexual assault, but instead cheered, ‘Yeah [An]!’ as though observing a sports match.”
The legal filing asserted that West’s conduct “mirrored the filmed sexual assault sequences portrayed in American Psycho, alongside 'pornographic' fetish films.”
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An described withdrawing her tongue from West’s “thrusting hand, beginning to feel panic, and scanning the set” in hopes of “finding someone who might intervene.”
She stated that despite a room filled with individuals, no one offered assistance. “During the incident, [An] found it difficult to breathe and experienced a momentary loss of consciousness. Once West concluded his actions with [An], her face was soiled with saliva and smudged makeup.” An indicated her departure from the set.
Her lawsuit claimed, “[An] continues to deal with the psychological distress and adverse professional consequences resulting from West’s assault.” She is pursuing unspecified compensation for the purported emotional distress and anguish she has endured.
