Kanye West's Yeezy owes California over $610K in unpaid taxes, received 3 notices since July 2021

'That is kind of an Amber Alert for the financial health of the enterprise,' said an expert
PUBLISHED DEC 8, 2022
Kanye West reportedly owes California $600,000 in taxes (Jason Davis/Getty Images for DailyWire+)
Kanye West reportedly owes California $600,000 in taxes (Jason Davis/Getty Images for DailyWire+)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kanye West owes California $600,000 in taxes and has been issued three notices about delinquent payments in the last two years, revealed documents. In connection with his apparel line, Yeezy, controversial rapper West, 45, first got a tax lien notice in July 2021 and another in September 2022. 

West, formally known as Ye, first revealed his $53 million debt in 2016. The rapper's relationship with businesses like Adidas was severed due to his antisemitic rhetoric following which Forbes dropped him from its high-status rankings, as per Daily Mail.

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Since July 2021, West has gotten numerous notices of liens (claims filed against a person's property if they have outstanding bills). According to Forbes, the first tax lien of $13,999 was sent to Yeezy in July 2021. The company received the second lien in February 2022 for $279,085, and the third in September for $321,591. The total amount of the liens is more than $610,000.

Speaking to NBC, Edward McCaffery, a USC law professor stated, "Multiple California tax liens, adding up to $600,000, that's certainly a sign of either extreme incompetence or extreme cash problems. That is kind of an Amber Alert for the financial health of the enterprise." The outspoken musician appears to have run into some issues with the IRS as a result of his financial difficulties. On November 28, West revealed to podcaster Tim Pool that the IRS had put a $75 million hold on four of his bank accounts. In addition, he claimed to owe $50 million in taxes. West told Pool, "Ok, so they froze, they put a $75 million hold on four of my accounts. And then they said you owe a lot of taxes. Took me, like, six hours to find out how much 'a lot' was. They said, well, around $50 million."

West has a history of failing to pay his tax obligations. In 2018, the singer acknowledged on 'The Late Late Show with James Corden' that she owed $35 million. However, he claimed that in 2019, he received a $68 million tax return. He had earlier stated, "Last year I made $115 million and still ended up $ 35 million in debt. This year I looked up and I just got $ 68 million returned to me on my tax." When the rapper informed his followers in 2016 that he owed $53 million, it astounded them. He tweeted about his debt and requested prayers. When writing this, West stated, "I write this to you my brothers while still 53 million dollars in personal debt... Please pray we overcome... This is my true heart..." In 2015, West also revealed that his endeavor to launch his Yeezy apparel line left him $16 million in debt. 



 

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