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The courtroom drama surrounding Kanye West's Malibu mansion trial took an unusual turn Friday as the artist now legally known as Ye appeared to drift in and out of attention while testifying in a lawsuit over renovations at his former beachfront property.

Observers inside the downtown Los Angeles courtroom described the hip-hop mogul as drowsy at times during questioning, occasionally closing his eyes and appearing to nod forward while seated on the witness stand.

Several journalists covering the proceedings said Ye frequently responded with variations of “I don’t recall,” offering minimal details as he answered dozens of questions related to the dispute.

The lawsuit was filed by contractor Tony Saxon, who claims he is owed $1 million in unpaid wages and expenses tied to a renovation project at the historic Malibu residence in 2021.

Drowsy Moments and Short Answers Capture Courtroom Attention

Witness Stand Becomes Unexpected Spectacle

According to reports from Rolling Stone, Ye repeatedly yawned and kept his eyes closed for extended stretches during questioning, occasionally tilting forward as if drifting toward sleep while seated before the court.

The unusual behavior did not go unnoticed.

Those watching from the courtroom gallery exchanged puzzled looks as the testimony unfolded. At one point, Saxon’s attorney, Ron Zambrano, reportedly mouthed to a colleague, “Is he asleep?”

Courthouse News Service echoed the observation, reporting that Ye appeared to nod off intermittently as Zambrano pressed him with questions.

Despite the spectacle, the substance of the testimony remained sparse. Ye largely stuck to brief answers — “yes,” “no,” or “I don’t recall.”

A Rare Moment of Memory Sparks Laughter

Yet amid the fog of forgotten details, one exchange briefly lit up the courtroom.

Emilie Hagen, who has been documenting the trial through daily videos on the Instagram account @kanyesposts, described a series of questions Zambrano posed to the rapper.

Zambrano asked whether Ye remembered taking Saxon to McDonald’s.
“ No,” Ye replied.

Did he recall driving Saxon to a hardware store?
Again, “No.”

What about calling Saxon when the contractor reportedly ran out of gas on the roadside?
“ No.”

Then came a surprising shift.

When asked whether he remembered Saxon having “a bad body odor,” Ye suddenly answered “Yes.”

The unexpected recollection triggered amusement among those following the testimony. As Hagen recounted online, Ye appeared able to recall how the contractor smelled but not the alleged errands or encounters connected to the renovation project.