Drake, Kanye West, Migos and Tyler Perry got put through the ringer before being allowed to perform at Philips Arena in ATL ... while Amy Schumer and Bon Jovi got the VIP treatment.
And why?? Blackness ... allegedly.
A former Atlanta Hawks security manager -- who also ran security at Philips Arena -- is suing the team claiming he was wrongly fired after pointing out a system of discrimination against black celebs.
Sam Hayes says it was obvious from the start of his employment in August 2016 that his white boss was going out of his way to make black stars go through more rigorous security checks than white stars.