Former America’s Next Top Model contestant Jennifer An has accused rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, of assaulting her during a music video shoot in New York in 2010.
An, who has filed a civil lawsuit against the rapper, said the incident left her feeling “suffocated, unsure and scared.”
She shared her account on the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast.
An said she was hired to appear in the music video for La Roux’s hit song In For The Kill. At the time, she did not know West would take part in the shoot.
The filming took place at New York City’s Chelsea Hotel. According to An, crew members suddenly began preparing for West’s arrival.
She said West selected three models, including her, to appear in a scene with him.
An claimed the rapper struggled to remember his lines during filming. He then decided to shoot a different sequence.
She said crew members told her to sit in a chair. They did not explain what would happen next.
“When the cameras started rolling, he suddenly reached out and started choking me,” An said.
She alleged that West then used both hands to choke her. She also claimed he smeared makeup across her face and put his fingers inside her mouth.
An said the actions simulated oral sex and left her shocked.
“I didn’t know what was happening,” she said. “I felt frozen.”
An said many people were on set during the incident. However, she said no one stepped in.
According to her account, the encounter ended when West declared, “This is art, I’m Picasso,” before leaving the set.
West did not appear in the final version of the music video. However, he later featured on a remix of the song.
An said she later spoke with La Roux, whose real name is Elly Jackson.
According to An, Jackson apologised and assured her that the footage would never be released.
In 2024, An contacted Jackson through Instagram and asked if she remembered the incident.
Messages submitted in court show Jackson allegedly describing the event as “horrific.”
The messages also suggest Jackson believed West knew exactly what he was doing during the encounter.
The BBC has contacted Jackson for comment.
An filed her lawsuit in 2024 under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act. The law temporarily extended the deadline for survivors of sexual assault to bring legal claims.
The case has not yet gone to trial.
West’s lawyers want the court to dismiss the lawsuit.
They do not deny that the interaction took place. However, they argue it formed part of an artistic performance inspired by the film American Psycho.
The defence also argues that An did not object or try to leave the scene. Lawyers say the rapper’s actions fall under free speech protections because they occurred during the creation of artistic content.
An’s lawyer, Jesse Weinstein, disagrees with that position.
He argued that accepting such a defence could create a dangerous precedent. He said artists should not avoid responsibility for harmful conduct simply by calling it art.
West’s representatives have not publicly responded to the latest allegations.
The BBC said it had contacted his team for further comment.
