Kanye West dealt major financial blow

Kanye West has been dealt a major blow after the controversial star failed to file tax returns for three years in a row.

Kanye West’s Sunday Service has lost its federal tax-exempt status after the star failed to file his returns for three consecutive years.The troubled rapper’s choir, which appears to be running without him, was first granted charity status on December 12, 2021, as revealed by The U.S. Sun.

West, 47, began hosting invite-only musical events with a gospel choir in January 2019, to coincide with his album release Jesus Is King.

He also took his group, led by choir director Jason White, to Coachella and held an opera at the Hollywood Bowl, among many other events.

Kanye West has been dealt a major blow after failing to file tax returns. Photo: Neil Mockford/GC Images.

West claimed in an interview with Nick Cannon in 2020 that he spent $A75 million on Sunday Services in its first year.

“I spent every dime that I have for marketing from Yeezy on Sunday Service. Every dollar I had,” he said.

“I spent $50 million ($A75 million) last year on Sunday Service if you add up the operas, if you add up the flights. It was 120 people going to Jamaica.

“The Yeezys, they were selling themselves. So instead of paying for ads, I invested it in the church. I invested in spreading [the] gospel. I invested in saying Jesus’ name on high.”

But it appears he’s had little to do with the choir in recent months, and a revocation date on the IRS website is listed as May 15, 2024, confirming it has lost its charity status.

It was posted for the first time on August 12, showing it is still current.

A filing still lists the charity’s headquarters as West’s 300-acre (120-hectare) ranch in Calabasas that has been left to rot. Aerial photographs published by The U.S. Sun showed a giant hole at the front entrance and debris scattered around the grounds.

The star has not been pictured at a Sunday Service session since June 2023 when he showed up with wife Bianca Censori. Picture: Alessandro Levati/Getty Images

According to Rolling Stone, Jason White, the former music director at West Angeles Church, initially expected to collaborate with West for a few weeks, but it turned into years.

The choir is still popular and has appeared on TV, with many of West’s fans trying to figure out how to attend the services.

But the star has not been pictured at a Sunday Service session since June 2023 when he showed up with wife Bianca Censori clad in a bizarre full-body stocking.

He was said to be hosting private events at his new HQ in West Hollywood, but this has been under construction for months after the roof was ripped off.

The official Instagram for Sunday Service Collective has not posted anything of West since November 2022, when numerous brands ended their partnerships with him over a string of antisemitic remarks.

White continues to direct the choir and their last big performance was with actor Will Smith at the BET performance earlier this year, and they released a song together called I Know You Can Make It.

Fans pointed out West was not listed as one of the 10 producers, while one wrote, “The choir does work separate from Ye. Jason White is their choir director.”

White does not follow West on Instagram but did post a throwback clip from their Jesus Is King performances in March this year.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to White for comment but did not hear back.

“I know Jason personally. The group is now just a choir and not a non-profit, they are on their own and I understand setting up an LLC for Sunday Service Collective,” a source said.

This story originally appeared on The Sun US and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as Kanye West dealt major financial blow