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Kanye West Keeps It Real in Deposition, Proclaims Himself 'Smartest Celebrity'

By Daniel Taylor, Esq. on August 06, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

As rapper deponents go, Kanye West may have Lil Wayne beat.

Transcripts obtained by TMZ from the rapper's recent deposition show that, like Lil Wayne before him, West isn't afraid to bring his on-stage swagger into the legal arena. Accused of beating a photographer and smashing his camera, West warns the photographer's lawyer "I'm the smartest celebrity you've ever f***ing dealt with. I'm not Britney Spears." One of those things is definitely true.

What else did West have to say in his deposition, and what should you do if you're ever subpoenaed for a deposition?

'I'm in the business of trying to make dope s**t'

In the transcript, West makes it clear that he doesn't exactly hold the legal profession in especially high regard. "I'm in the business of trying to make dope s**t for the world," he tells the plaintiff's attorney. "You're in the business of representing scums and trying to make as much money as long as there's this lapse in the law."

When the attorney quotes lyrics from one of West's songs that include the "n" word, West interrupts with a warning. "You have to ask for a hall pass. You can't just say the 'n' word around me. It offends me because you're a white person saying 'ni**a.'"

West also makes it clear that he has an equally low view of paparazzi photographers like the one he is accused of battering. "We, as group of minorities here in L.A., as celebrities have to ban together to influence guys like this -- guys trying to take the picture, guys trying to get the big win, guys trying to get the check."

Deposition Tips

If you receive a deposition subpoena, here are a few tips to help ensure your deposition goes smooth:

  • Make sure the subpoena is for you
  • Make sure you know where to go, how to get there, and what time you need to arrive
  • Bring any documents requested in the subpoena
  • Be truthful
  • Don't be defensive/funny

Depositions are typically transcribed, and frequently videotaped. So remember that anything you say in a deposition may end up online.

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