Kanye West's attorney says rapper won't speak to or pay him

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An attorney representing Ye in a lawsuit brought by an autograph dealer who alleges the rapper punched him after he asked for an autograph wants to be relieved from representing the performer, who the lawyer says won't speak to him or pay him.

The plaintiffs in the Los Angeles Superior Court case are Justin Poplawski and his wife, Tiffany Marshall. Their suit alleges that the musician formerly known as Kanye West blamed his divorce from Kim Kardashian for his foul mood. Poplawski alleges assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence, while Marshall contends she suffered a loss of consortium.

But in court papers filed Monday with Judge Theresa Traber, Ye's attorney, Brian Brumfield, says he wants out of the case because the rapper terminated their working relationship on June 21.

"Defendant also will not speak to counsel and defendant refuses to pay counsel as well," Brumfield states in his court papers.

According to the suit, Poplawski had previously obtained Ye's autograph without a problem. The plaintiff was standing on a sidewalk near the exclusive Soho Warehouse social club on South Santa Fe Avenue in downtown Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2022, when Ye saw him, said he was going to make an example of him and referred to his divorce from Kardashian, the suit claims.

Ye allegedly struck Poplawski, who asked for an apology, the suit states. Ye allegedly replied, "Apology for what?" and struck the plaintiff additional times, severely injuring him, according to the suit, which was filed Jan. 10.

Ye, now 46, then began shouting at the singer's own companions, one of whom told the rapper to stop hitting Poplawski, the suits states.

A hearing on Brumfield's withdrawal motion is scheduled for July 29.