'Selling Sunset' Jason Oppenheim Is Getting Mixed Reaction For Repping Kanye West

"Are there standards to be considered when choosing business clients?" Some critics think so following Jason Oppenheim's booking of Kanye West's Malibu home listing.

It is no news the rapper, legally known as Ye, is a drama magnet, but his infamous antisemitic opinions are causing his new realtor problems. After Oppenheim joined hands with the "Gold Digger" hitmaker to sell his gutted Malibu property, many bashed the real estate agent for representing him despite being Jewish.

After West threw in the towel on his Malibu oceanfront home, he chose Oppenheim to sell the damaged property for $53 million. This move shocked many, given the Hip-hop icon's previous antisemitic views. However, people were more surprised by the Jewish realtor's decision to work with him.

Despite the criticisms, other famous L.A. realtors supported the "Selling Sunset" star and saw no problem with a Jew representing Ye. These individuals didn't believe their client's backstory mattered in business, especially in a social and politically divided world.

One agent cited the war in the Middle East, noting it would be impossible to do business if they excluded clients with unpopular views. "What are we supposed to do? Ask a potential client if they side with Israel or Palestine?" the realtor exclaimed.

Another echoed similar sentiments, noting their time as a practicing lawyer made it unethical to judge a client before taking a case. "It's just not reality," the person explained. More realtors agreed, explaining that it's ridiculous to look into every prospective client to find reasons not to represent them.

These sources, while speaking to TMZ, insisted they could not involve religion, politics, and social standards in their business. One real estate agent wondered: "Are we supposed to see if a client is a registered Republican and say s— you, I'm not representing you?"

Several realtors bashed Oppenheim's critics, claiming they couldn't Google every client or look into their social media lives for business. Someone pointed out: "What if a client has an offensive post on Instagram? Or what if a client's in the middle of a nasty divorce, and I side with their spouse?"

Another realtor drew attention to the LGBTQ+ community, asking if people expected them to ask if their clients have a different view on gay marriage. "At some point, it just becomes impossible to do business," the individual noted before adding:

"What about the buyer who pays Kanye $53 million for the Malibu property? What if Kanye goes to a Mercedes dealership. Should they not sell him a car?"

While the majority supported Oppenheim's decision to represent West, a few aired their opposition. One realtor stressed that he would never support the rapper because of his infamous antisemitic views. The agent declared:

"Wait a minute. Kanye is one of the biggest antisemites in the world. I would never represent him, ever."

As stated, the criticisms against Oppenheim came amid West's request to place his Tadao Ando-designed Malibu mansion on the market for $53 million. The rapper moved to sell the 4,000 square feet beachside property after failing to renovate the home into an old-school bomb shelter. 

The Yeezy founder's plans destroyed the beautiful building by removing all the windows, electricity, and plumbing. This exposed the home to natural elements, further damaging the property and leaving its next owner with more renovations.

However, Oppenheim claimed these problems were a blessing in disguise for whoever purchased the oceanfront home. In his words: "The interior finishes have been removed, and this creates an unbelievably rare opportunity to buy a Picasso on the water with the ability to restore it to your own specific standards, with modern technology and excellence."

Another blessing is the Malibu home's selling price of $53 million, which is $4 million short of the property's original $57 million price when West purchased it in 2021. Despite the tempting offer, it remains uncertain if the sale will garner much attention, given the legal drama associated with the building.

The property's former caretaker, Tony Saxon, filed a lawsuit against Ye, claiming he was wrongfully fired for speaking out against the dangerous renovations. He noted the mansion's custom marble bathrooms, windows, plumbing, and electricity were removed because the rapper wanted "a bomb shelter from the 1910s."

"We were going to be gutting all of that out and sort of building him a Bat Cave," Saxon explained, noting his former employer wanted a place to "hide from the Clintons and the Kardashians."

In his lawsuit, the plaintiff accused Ye of violating multiple labor codes, including dangerous working conditions, unpaid wages, and wrongful retaliatory termination.