Rapper Kanye West just scored a major victory in his battle against Lloyd’s of London, which had refused to pay out his claim stemming from the cancellation of several dates on his 2016 Saint Pablo concerts. According to TMZ, the insurer has agreed to pay most of what West was due according to the policy. Initially, Lloyd’s had attempted to refuse payment due to its belief that the mental issues West suffered stemmed from drug use, which would have voided the policy.
West was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital in November of 2016 following a series of “bizarre incidents” including feuding with Beyonce and Jay-Z, telling a San Jose, California crowd that he would have voted for then President-elect Trump if he had voted, and stopping a show after two songs and 30 minutes in Sacramento. A source told NBC news at the time that police responded to a “medical welfare” call and decided to have West hospitalized for his own health and safety. Remaining dates on the Saint Pablo tour were canceled the same day by promoter Live Nation, which did not give a reason for the cancellation at the time.
In the aftermath, West’s touring company Very Good Touring sued Lloyd’s for $9.8 million (plus interest) due to the insurer’s refusal to pay out the claim on the grounds that West was using marijuana at the time of his breakdown and subsequent tour cancellation, voiding his policy. Lloyd’s originally counter-sued in an attempt to keep from paying the claim, but the potential for punitive damages should the matter reach a courtroom was apparently enough to convince their underwriters that it was better to just pay the artist and move on.
The Saint Pablo tour ran from August 2016 until late November, which the November 19th show in Sacramento serving as its unexpected coda. West performed 41 shows in 87 days before the stoppage. In all, 22 dates were canceled, as the tour was scheduled to continue through a New Year’s Eve performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. West has not ventured back on the road since those canceled dates.
