lawsuit Archives - New Hip Hop News

Justice Department Readies Live Nation Antitrust Lawsuit Following Ticketmaster’s Taylor Swift Debacle

April 16, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly readying an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment which, according to the Wall Street Journal, they will file next month. The company will face scrutiny over accusations they’ve used their dominance of the market to undermine consumers. The news comes after the company’s subsidiary Ticketmaster faced enormous backlash for its handling of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in 2022.

Following that incident, Joe Berchtold, Live Nation’s president and chief financial officer, testified in front of the Senate. Lawmakers grilled him on a lack of transparency regarding ticket fees, the company’s inability to block bot purchases of tickets, and more. Backlash towards the company came from both sides of the aisle.

Concert Ticket Industry Executives Testify In Front Of Senate

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 24: (L-R) Joe Berchtold, president and CFO of Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.; Jack Groetzinger, CEO of SeatGeek; Jerry Mickelson, CEO and president of Jam Productions; Sal Nuzzo, senior vice president of the James Madison Institute; Kathleen Bradish, vice president for legal advocacy at the American Antitrust Institute; and singer/songwriter Clyde Lawrence are sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee January 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony on the topic “That’s the Ticket: Promoting. Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment”, in the wake of problems surrounding access to ticket purchases for Taylor. Swift performances. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“The way your company handled ticket sales for Ms. Swift was a debacle, and whoever in your company was in charge of that should be fired,” Republican Senator John Kennedy said at the time. “If you care about the consumer, cut the price! Cut out the bots! Cut out the middle people and if you really care about the consumer, give the consumer a break!” Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar remarked: “To have a strong capitalist system, you have to have competition. You can’t have too much consolidation — something that, unfortunately for this country, as an ode to Taylor Swift, I will say, we know ‘all too well.’”

The Justice Department also previously accused Live Nation of bullying ticket venues into using Ticketmaster back in 2019. Be on the lookout for further updates on Live Nation on HotNewHipHop.

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Childish Gambino Receives Second Lawsuit As Kidd Wes Continues To Fight Over “This Is America”

April 16, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Nearly three years ago, Childish Gambino was sent a copyright infringement lawsuit from fellow rapper Kidd Wes. The latter felt that “This Is America” was “unmistakably substantially similar, if not practically identical” according to those past legal documents. However, almost two years later, on March 24, 2023, Judge Victor Marrero of a New York federal court dismissed the lawsuit. It was ultimately decided that there were not enough similarities between the Gambino’s version and Kidd Wes’ “Made In America,” which was released a year prior in comparison. Now, according to AllHipHop, Wes is still searching for justice, as he recently filed a second lawsuit against Gambino.

Pulling information from Courthouse News, they discovered that this was put in motion on Monday, April 15. To get more technical about this, Judge Marrero originally shut this down because Kidd Wes failed to copyright the underlying musical composition of “Made In America.” Because of that, Kidd Wes would have lost with proper copyright registration all together. Of course, there was massive pushback from his attorney Gregory William Keenan.

Does Kidd Wes Have An Argument Against Childish Gambino?

He saw this is as an “administrative mistake.” Keenan stated, “An applicant for a copyright registration, especially one who’s not a lawyer, might check the wrong box on the registration documents as a result of some legal oversight.” Jonathan Davis, Gambino’s lawyer argued that this [was] not a mere error.” Wes and his team are currently awaiting the results of their second attempt, so be sure to check back with us when we find out more.

What are your thoughts on Childish Gambino being sued again? Do you think this lawsuit will have a different result, why or why not? Listening to the songs back-to-back, do you spot any glaring similarities? Is this song still in your rotation? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Childish Gambino. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.

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Diddy Allegations: UMG Wants Out Of Sexual Assault Lawsuit

April 13, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In November of last year, Diddy was hit with yet another lawsuit for alleged sexual assault, this time from a woman named Liza Gardner. Gardner claims she met the Bad Boy Records founder and Aaron Hall at an event in the 90s. At the time, she says she was only 16 years old. She alleges that the duo began buying her drinks before inviting her back to Hall’s apartment. Upon arrival, she alleges that they sexually assaulted her and her friend, also pressuring them to drink more alcohol. Days later, she accuses Diddy of showing up at her house, “assaulting and choking” her.

Diddy, Hall, and Universal Music Group are listed as defendants in the suit, but now, UMG wants out. The music corporation filed a motion to dismiss in a New York court on Thursday (April 11), arguing that Gardner failed to provide sufficient evidence linking UMG to the alleged rape. According to them, the incident had “nothing to do with UMGR.”

UMG Claims Liza Gardner’s Alleged Rape Had “Nothing To Do” With Them

Diddy Allegations: UMG Wants Out Of Sexual Assault Lawsuit — (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Essence)

“The Complaint’s allegations, if true, are certainly disturbing,” the motion reads, also claiming that Gardner has no “factual support connecting UMGR to the alleged assaults.” UMG additionally argues that her lawsuit should have been filed under the Child Victims Act (CVA) instead of the Adult Survivors Act (ASA), as she claims to have been 16 at the time of the incident.

“Plaintiff makes no allegation supporting vicarious liability for battery or assault (nor could she),” the motion continues. “Plaintiff’s NIED claim also fails because she has not alleged any duty owed to her by UMGR, and nowhere in Plaintiff’s Complaint does she allege that UMGR’s conduct was extreme and outrageous, as she is required to do as a matter of legal sufficiency.” What do you think of Universal Music Group asking to be dismissed from Liza Gardner’s lawsuit against Diddy? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

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Trey Songz Settles $25M Lawsuit Over Alleged 2016 Sexual Assault

April 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In February of last year, Trey Songz was hit with a lawsuit from an anonymous woman accusing him of sexual assault. The woman, going by Jane Joe, claimed that she attended a house party with the performer back in 2016 after meeting him at a nightclub in Los Angeles. The evening took a turn for the worse when Trey Songz invited her upstairs, where the alleged sexual assault took place. Atlantic Records, Trey Songz’s manager Kevin Lilies, and 300 Entertainment were also named as defendants in her suit.

Reportedly, they’ve now settled, though the amount has not been disclosed. Initially, the alleged victim was seeking $25 million for the mental and emotional distress of the incident. They were scheduled to appear in court for a hearing in September, which has been vacated due to the settlement. “The settlement agreement conditions dismissal of this matter on the satisfactory completion of specified terms that are not to be performed within 45 days of the date of the settlement. A request for dismissal will be filed no later than June 10, 2024,” the legal docs reportedly state.

Trey Songz & Jane Doe Settle For Undisclosed Amount

Trey Songz attends inBetweeners & D&G, powered by UNXD. DGFamily NFT.NYC Party at TAO Uptown on June 22, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images For INBETWEENERS x DOLCE & GABBANA)

It remains unclear whether or not Trey Songz admitted guilt as a condition of the settlement, but last year, he denied the accusations on social media. “Lies will never be the truth,” he wrote in an Instagram Story. “No matter who chooses to believe such.” Sadly, this isn’t the first woman to have accused Trey Songz of assault, however. Just last month, Winter Blanco came forward on an episode of Behind The Likes to accuse him of assaulting her in 2018. She revealed that she chose to stay silent for the sake of her career.

“I’m tired of letting abusers get away with so much sh*t,” she explained at the time. “I was not going to ever talk about it because I was still trying to do music.” What do you think of Trey Songz settling his $25M lawsuit? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

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Man Who Killed Nicki Minaj’s Father In Hit-&-Run Wants To Question Her For $150 Million Lawsuit

April 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Charles Polevich, the 70-year-old man who killed Nicki Minaj’s father, Robert Maraj, in a hit-and-run back in 2021, wants the rapper to appear in a deposition for an ongoing $150 million lawsuit. He claims Nicki has “knowledge and information that is material and necessary to the defense of the claims set forth in this action.” Specifically, she can apparently attest to her father’s allegedly abusive behavior. Nicki’s mother, Carol, is suing the man, claiming his behavior caused her to lose “services, society, comfort, companionship and consortium.”

Polevich, on the other hand, argues that Robert was “reckless, careless, and negligent in crossing the street.” His attorney added: “My client empathizes with the family. The question of whether there was negligence and degrees of negligence will be determined by the court. The $150 million amount seems to be over the top.”

Nicki Minaj Performs At iHeartRadio Power 96.1’s Jingle Ball

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 14: Nicki Minaj performs onstage during iHeartRadio. Power 96.1’s Jingle Ball 2023 at State Farm Arena on December 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

According to new documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the proposed deposition of Nicki will regard “questions wherein the issue of domestic abuse is discussed.” The filing adds that “[Carol] acknowledges that statements related to the topic of domestic abuse were made by [Nicki] but [Carol] does not offer meaningful responses regarding the veracity of the statements made.” In response, Carol’s attorneys argue her daughter is not a part of the lawsuit and “to have her testify as to musical lyrics, which could be completely made up, false, and taken out of context, was a waste of time and borderline harassment for the family.”

Nicki Minaj Mourns Her Late Father

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Polevich previously received a year behind bars for the incident. Carol was critical of the length of the sentence at the time. Be on the lookout for further updates on Nicki Minaj on HotNewHipHop.

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Lil Rod Claims He’s Got Diddy On Tape Admitting To Crimes

April 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones claims he has a recording of Diddy admitting to a litany of crimes, including pressuring artists into record deals, inappropriate sexual acts, tax evasion, and more. He made the claim in a sworn affidavit to the court in his sexual assault lawsuit against the Bad Boy mogul, according to AllHipHop. Jones got to know Diddy while working on his latest project, The Love Album: Off the Grid.

“He shared how he would get things by force,” Lil Rod explained. “This included record deals, signatures on contracts, sex acts from women and men, as well as the women of his enemies. He bragged about departed attorney Johnny Cochran’s savvy legal skills and ability to pay off the witnesses through private investigators and other third parties.”

Diddy Performs At MTV Video Music Awards

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Diddy performs onstage during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV)

Jones added: “Mr. Combs bragged about the power he has and the fact that he beat up record executive Steve Stoute’s ‘ass.’ He laughed uncontrollably as he talked about busting him in the head with a bottle of champagne and a chair. On another occasion, Mr. Combs bragged about beating up Gerard Rechnitzer outside of a nightclub in Hollywood. Mr. Combs also informed me that only poor people pay taxes. He shared that it is a common practice in the music industry to wire money from anonymous accounts overseas. This way, if there is ever a need to take care of a problem, it would never be traced back to him. These accounts were in Germany.”

Diddy and his legal team have already vehemently denied the allegations stemming from the lawsuit. His attorney labeled Jones, “nothing more than a liar” and accused him of “shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday” after he filed the lawsuit. Be on the lookout for further updates on Lil Rod and Diddy on HotNewHipHop.

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DaBaby Could Get Served Lawsuit Papers From DaniLeigh’s Brother In A Unique Way

April 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

DaBaby has done an impressively good job of hiding from someone trying to sue him. The rapper was part of a now notorious 2022 brawl that also included his ex DaniLeigh’s brother Brandon Bills. The two tell very different stories of how the allegation unfolded and Bills is attempting to take the “SUGE” rapper to court over the incident. The only problem is that he’s having quite a bit of trouble tracking the rapper down to serve him his lawsuit papers.

His attempts to track DaBaby down so far have come through hiring a private investigator last year. But after the P.I. failed to track the rapper down to serve him his lawsuit papers, Bills had to shift his focus. He reportedly asked the court if it would be okay to take out an ad in a local newspaper notifying the rapper of his lawsuit. Though the court hasn’t ruled on the unconventional request yet, Baby’s ability to avoid the suit has fans cracking up online. Check out some more details and fan reaction to the bizarre story below.

DaBaby Could Be Served Papers In A Newspaper

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DaBaby dropped two new singles last month. The first of which is called “GRAMMY PARTY. “ Though the song is short wrapping up in under two minutes his fans have still flocked to it. The track has racked up more than 3 million streams on Spotify in a little over a month since it dropped. The second single is called “WONDER WOMAN” and it dropped two weeks later. The track has generated around half the streams of its predecessor currently sitting at 1.5 million.

DaBaby’s last album Baby On Baby 2 dropped back in 2022. The project was met with pretty strong backlash from music critics in particular. What do you think of DaBaby managing to dodge a private investigator trying to serve him legal documents? Do you think the judge will approve Bills’ request to serve Baby via a local newspaper? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Ye’s Donda Academy Accuser Allegedly Still Has A Daughter In The School’s Choir

April 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The month of April started off with some wild claims from a new lawsuit filed against Ye, formerly Kanye West, and his Donda Academy school. It’s hardly the first time anybody has taken him to court over the controversial Academy. Last year bizarre details emerged from a lawsuit about the school. They claimed it had open skylights and no windows because the rapper reportedly didn’t like glass. West was also hit with lawsuits relating to racial discrimination and wrongful termination. Those have both come up repeatedly from the school.

The newest lawsuit features some of the most bizarre claims yet. Included in the lawsuit are claims that he threatened to shave children’s heads and lock them in cages at the school. Almost as audacious is some of what West reportedly said to students and faculty. The lawsuit cites an antisemitic rant he went on following Adidas cutting ties with him for his public antisemitic comments. It also details conspiracies he reportedly pushed about gay people and population control. The suit itself is over discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. But recently Page Six uncovered some interesting information relating to the family of the man who filed the suit.

Ye’s Accuser Still Has A Daughter In Donda Choir

Kanye West Accuser’s Daughter Still Part Of Donda Academy Choir Despite Lawsuithttps://t.co/qrGN2O8auy

— allhiphopcom (@allhiphopcom) April 9, 2024

New information uncovered from the Academy’s attendance records revealed that the man who filed the lawsuit has a daughter who is still participating in the Donda Choir. Records show that she’s continued to attend even as the lawsuit was filed last week. In their report, Page Six even goes as far as to say that he’s made “no attempt” to have his daughter removed from the choir. The news immediately had some of the rapper’s biggest followers trying to poke holes in the lawsuit’s credibility online.

What do you think of the man who filed a lawsuit against the Donda Academy still having a daughter in the school’s choir? Do you think it calls the legitimacy of some of his claims into question? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Russell Simmons Goes After Sexual Assault Accuser To Cover His Legal Fees

April 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Russell Simmons wants his sexual assault accuser, Drew Dixon, to cover his legal fees as she is suing him for defamation. The Def Jam co-founder allegedly attempted to tarnish her reputation by downplaying her claims during a December 2023 interview with The New York Times. Simmons, on the other hand, says his comments were of public concern.

“Due to the nature of both Plaintiff’s and Simmons’s fame, and Plaintiff’s public discussion about their sexual history, this topic may fairly be considered as relating to a matter of ‘social or other concern of the community,” Simmons’s attorney David Fish explained in a new filing, as caught by AllHipHop. “Moreover, Plaintiff cast her reputation and these allegations to the forefront of the public’s attention and created further public interest by appearing in The New York Times article, the documentary on HBO, and advocating publicly about her experience with sexual abuse…the allegedly defamatory Statements are as a response to Plaintiff’s inviting public commentary on her interactions with Simmons.”

Russell Simmons Attends MusiCares Persons Of The Year Event

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 03: Russell Simmons attends MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

As for Simmons’ comments at the center of the lawsuit, he told The New York Times in part: “If you slept with as many people as I slept with—thousands—and we’re talking about six people. But I can simply tell you that I was in so many compromising situations, that people can have a recollection from 30 or 40 years ago, and it can be different from my recollection…could some reimagine a story out of thousands of people? Could someone want notoriety in the market where people thirst for fame, even infamous?”

Simmons previously made headlines, earlier this week, for supporting his daughter Aoki’s relationship with 65-year-old restaurateur Vittorio Assaf despite the age gap. Be on the lookout for further updates on Russell Simmons on HotNewHipHop.

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50 Cent Says Meek Mill Has More To Worry About Than Sexuality Rumors: “They Think You On Them Tapes”

April 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

50 Cent says Meek Mill needs to stop concerning himself with the rumors about his sexuality and instead worry about whether Diddy was recording his behavior at his infamous parties. Taking to Instagram, 50 shared a headline that reads: “Meek Mill Says The Rumors About Him And Diddy Is Confusing His 12-Year-Old Son ‘People Saying His Dad is G*y.’” In the caption, 50 remarked: “Got Damn it. People don’t think you are gay @meekmillnews they think you on them tapes. Old boy was filming every room even the toilets.”

The story stems from a series of tweets Meek put out in which he complained about his son hearing about the rumors. “I don’t believe no Diddy story once they lied about me now!” he wrote in one post. “I don’t care but yall confusing my son he’s 12 with people saying his dad gay it’s sick.” In another, he added: “Yall call it trolling I call it I have 2 young kings papi and czar plus my other son I raised zah that see magnified press … to know they can be whatever they want but their dad represent one thing and if I was gay they probably wouldn’t be living!”

Meek Mill & Diddy Party During Memorial Day Weekend

LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 25: Meek Mill and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attend The Memorial Day Weekend Grand Finale hosted by Meek Mill, Teyana Taylor, and YG at Prive on May 25, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

The rumors about Meek Mill stem from Lil Rod’s sexual assault lawsuit against Diddy, in which he claims the Bad Boy mogul bragged about having sex with a rapper from Philadelphia who previously dated Nicki Minaj. The filing never mentioned Meek by name and Diddy has denied all of the allegations. Even 50, who has been using the lawsuit to troll Diddy relentlessly, recently admitted it might be false.

50 Cent Comments On Meek Mill

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50 is currently working on a docuseries about the situation. Be on the lookout for further updates on 50 Cent as well as Diddy and Meek Mill on HotNewHipHop.

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