Model alleges Kanye West choked her during music video filming: Rapper says it was a ‘theatrical performance’

TRIGGER WARNING: This article includes references to sexual abuse.Rapper Kanye West has made headlines once more after it was reported that the musician is being sued. Jennifer An, a former model and reality TV star, recently filed a lawsuit against West, alleging he abused her during the filming of one of his music videos. Here is what we know about the matter so far.While featuring on the latest episode of the ‘Fame Under Fire’ podcast, Jennifer An revealed some harrowing details of the alleged incident with West. During the episode, while talking to host Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty, she revealed that the rapper had allegedly choked her roughly and even put his fingers in her mouth during the filming of a music video. She alleges that the incident happened back in 2010 for a video in which the rapper made a cameo.BBC further reported that the singer’s lawyers have not denied the incident; however, he has labelled it as ‘art’. As per the report, Kanye was attempting to recreate a scene from the film ‘American Psycho,’ and it was an “intense and provocative theatrical performance.” As of right now, neither the model nor the rapper has shared any independent comments about the matter.Jennifer Ann is a former model and a former contestant on the hit reality TV show titled ‘America's Next Top Model.’This is not the only controversy that Kanye has been involved in over the years. While the rapper started his career by making music for other veterans in the field, including Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, to name a few, he slowly rose to fame and became one of the biggest names in the industry. However, his career has not been smooth-running, as the singer has been involved in quite a few controversies over the years.One of his earliest critical moments was when he interrupted Taylor Swift’s speech on stage during the 2009 MTV Awards, citing that Beyoncé deserved the award rather than the ‘Opalite’ singer. Some of his other controversies include talking about how slavery was a ‘choice’ during a 2018 TMZ interview. At the time, he had cited that "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”Another particular moment from his career that has landed him in hot water with the public includes his Antisemitic posts, along with his ‘Heil Hitler’ song. He had earlier made a post on his account showing a message exchange between him and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, alleging the latter had been "controlled by Jewish people". In 2025, the singer released the controversial song ‘Heil Hitler’ and even started selling shirts with the Nazi symbol of the Hakenkreuz printed on them. The song was about how the rapper had turned towards becoming a Nazi because of his child custody battle and his financial assets being frozen.While West has apologised on multiple occasions, netizens remain on edge over his prior actions.DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, assault, or abuse, please seek immediate help. Reach out to a mental health specialist, NGO, or trusted individual. Several helplines are available to offer assistance.