lawyers

Dame Dash’s Lawyers Deliver Resignation Over Unpaid Fees

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Dame Dash’s lawyers, Felton T. Newell and Justin H. Sanders, Esqs., of Sanders Roberts LLP, have officially resigned from representing him in the lawsuit from photographer Monique Bunn. In doing so, they cited a “breach of contractual obligations to the firm,” regarding unpaid legal fees. They originally filed the motion to withdraw, last month. At the time, they alleged Dash, “failed to fulfill their financial obligations under their retainer agreement, resulting in the firm initiating an enforcement action against them.”

Attorney Christopher Brown filed the lawsuit on behalf of Bunn back in February, while arguing that the jury in a previous case regarding the unpaid use of her photographs didn’t understand the damages Dash’s actions had on the photographer. “The evidence at trial – which was uncontroverted – established that each photo was worth $1,500, which should have resulted in a verdict for at least $384,750,000,” Brown wrote. “It is well known that professional photographers earn much of their income through licensing their portfolio of photographs, and Defendants’ actions destroyed Ms. Bunn’s economic prospects. The jury ignored the valuation evidence and awarded zero to Ms. Bunn.”

Read More: Dame Dash Needs Help Paying For Legal Representation In Lawsuit: Report

Dame Dash Speaks At InventFest

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 07: Dame Dash speaks onstage during the 2022 InvestFest at Georgia World. Congress Center on August 07, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

He continued: “It is impossible to conceive how a jury could conclude that a professional photographer’s portfolio of thousands of photos, as well as photography equipment, could be worth zero. Especially when the Plaintiff and the Defendants both testify that the damages are in the millions. A new trial is warranted under these circumstances.” Check out the resignation from Dash’s attorneys below.

Christopher Brown is the same lawyer involved in the lawsuit regarding the film Dear Frank. That case resulted in Dash being ordered to sell his Roc-A-Fella Records shares to cover a $900,000 judgment awarded to Josh Webber. Be on the lookout for further updates on Dame Dash on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Dame Dash Blames Kanye West’s Bipolar Disorder For Controversial Comments

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Lizzo’s “I Quit” Message Labeled An “Outburst Seeking Attention” By Lawyer For Her Dancers

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Attorney Ron Zambrano, who is representing the dancers that are suing Lizzo, says the “Truth Hurts” singer’s message about quitting music is simply “another outburst” and that she’s just “seeking attention.” She made headlines, last week, for claiming to retire from music due to the constant bullying she faces online. The statement was met with a mixture of criticism and support.

“It’s a joke that Lizzo would say she is being bullied by the internet when she should instead be taking an honest look at herself,” Zambrano wrote in the statement obtained by Billboard. “Her latest post is just another outburst seeking attention and trying to deflect from her own failings as she continues to blame everyone else for the predicament she is in. Lizzo’s legal and public relations strategy is a failure, so she is desperately trying to play the victim. She has thrown these childish tantrums before. No one actually believes she is quitting music. But she should quit sexually harassing, shaming and bullying her employees and finally accept responsibility for her actions.” He further argued that toxic behavior is ruining the entertainment industry and cited Diddy and Dan Schneider as examples.

Read More: Azealia Banks Criticizes Lizzo’s Decision To Quit Music: “Stop Inviting People To Make Jokes”

Lizzo Attends Vanity Fair Oscars Party

US singer Lizzo attends the Vanity Fair Oscars Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California, on March 10, 2024. (Photo by Michael TRAN / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Lizzo addressed the comments in a statement also provided to Billboard. “With nearly half his case dismissed, 18 independent witnesses siding with Lizzo and no settlement on the way to get him his tasty contingency fee, Ron has started making wild personal attacks that have absolutely nothing to do with the clients who he is supposedly representing. We would humbly recommend that Ron start representing his clients and stop representing just himself,” it reads.

Lizzo “Quits” Music

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating)

Check out Lizzo’s initial message about giving up on music above. Back in August of last year, the three former backup dancers filed their lawsuit against Lizzo, accusing her of sexual, religious, and racial harassment, and much more. She has denied the allegations. Be on the lookout for further updates on Lizzo on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Latto Speaks Up For Lizzo After She Quits Music Over Internet Trolls: “F*ck These People”

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Dame Dash Needs Help Paying For Legal Representation In Lawsuit: Report

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Dame Dash is finding more issues than he bargained for in a lawsuit against him from photographer Monique Bunn. Moreover, according to court documents exclusively obtained by AllHipHop, he breached his agreement with the legal firm representing him in this $51 million case, Sanders Roberts LLP. They filed a motion to withdraw as representatives of the New York City native, as well as of Damon Dash Studios, Poppington LLC, and Raquel Horn. According to the firm, all co-defendants have not fulfilled their contractual obligations, with Dash specifically being accused of not paying them properly under a retainer agreement and resulting in enforcement action against all parties.

Furthermore, the firm’s partner Felton T. Newell claimed that they spent a lot of time, energy, and resources on representing Dame Dash, but that he’s very behind on his legal bills. Apparently, this relationship broke down so heavily that Sanders Roberts LLP no longer feels able to represent him or his goals. The court will address this request on May 28, 2024, but the Roc-A-Fella executive will still have representation in the form of lawyer Xavier Robert Donaldson if the court grants the motion, as Donaldson is still representing him at press time.

Read More: Jay-Z “Double-Dipped” From Roc-Nation, Dame Dash Alleges

Dame Dash At “The Prince Of Detroit” Premiere In

Dame Dash Lawsuit Lawyers Payment Legal Bills Hip Hop News
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JUNE 23: Entrepreneur/Director Damon Dash arrives at “The Prince Of Detroit” Detroit Premiere at Detroit Music Hall on June 23, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Monica Morgan/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, for those unaware, this lawsuit began in April of 2019 from photographer Monique Bunn and her lawyer Christopher Brown. The story goes that Bunn stayed at Dame Dash’s L.A. mansion for a photoshoot for his Poppington brand. According to the photographer, Jay-Z’s former partner exhibited inappropriate behavior and unlawfully kept a hard drive with over 100,000 celebrity snaps. The court cleared him of sexual assault charges, but his libel liability led to a $30,000 award for defamation to Bunn.

However, now the photographer and her attorney are seeking more action from the court, calling for a new trial to receive her due compensation for property damage. Also, Bunn has another lawsuit against Dash and his wife for $1 million for a separate defamation incident, in which they allegedly claimed she was a thief for unauthorized credit card charges in a video. He denied any and all claims and thinks that Brown is trying to extort him, as he’s already won two suits against him. The 52-year-old’s legal team thinks these are all attempts to harass and abuse the legal system for media attention. For more news and the latest updates on Dame Dash, stick around on HNHH.

Read More: Dame Dash Blames Kanye West’s Bipolar Disorder For Controversial Comments

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Diddy’s Latest Sexual Assault Accuser Hires Cassie’s Lawyers

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Diddy and his team recently received their fourth (allegedly fifth) sexual assault lawsuit in the past three weeks. Moreover, this whole situation became a PR nightmare for him as of late, and the sheer number of accusations paint a dark picture of his alleged behavior and attitudes. What’s more is that these cases relate to each other in unique ways, especially when it comes to how they might play out in court. Furthermore, a Jane Doe recently accused Sean Combs and two other men of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. According to reporter Meghann Cuniff, the plaintiff hired the same lawyers that worked with Cassie in the settled lawsuit that kicked this wave off.

“This is now the fifth lawsuit filed against Mr. Combs in the last three weeks,” the latest lawsuit against Diddy reads. “Incredibly, the allegations brought by Ms. Doe are in many ways even more egregious than those brought by his prior victims.” Not only that, but we’re also getting rumors and whispers of how this whole situation is impacting the industry. Apparently, this resulted in a “logistical nightmare” for the Grammys, for which he is nominated for this year.

Read More: Diddy’s Former Bodyguard Seems To Retract Claims About His Abuse Of Cassie

Cassie’s Lawyers Reportedly Helping Diddy’s Latest Alleged Victim In Court

Meanwhile, amid all this speculation and legal action, the Bad Boy mogul finally broke his silence on all this. Rather than state something through his attorneys, he took to social media recently to stand up for himself. “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” Diddy posted on Instagram. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

However, this situation will likely become even more high-profile in the next few months. That is, if 50 Cent is really producing a documentary on the whole scandal. We’ll have to wait and see if that manifests. For more news and the latest updates on Diddy, check back in with HNHH.

Read More: 50 Cent Compares Diddy Situation To Rick Ross Lyrics, Which He Didn’t Appreciate

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NBA YoungBoy Wants House Arrest Rules Relaxed To Help With Depression & Use Of Outside Studios

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NBA YoungBoy is requesting that the terms of his house arrest be eased so that he can once again record music at an outside studio. Additionally, his legal team says it will help with his anxiety and depression. They want the allowance of “certain” activities with approval from his pretrial officer due to his “deteriorating” mental health.

“Being confined to his home and unable to complete his employment obligations has led to great anxiety, depression, loss of weight, and sleep. Mr. Gaulden [NBA YoungBoy] has been visibly stressed and has expressed concern and loss of hope that he will be able to return to his contracted employment obligation,” his lawyers said. They added that his sales have “suffered” due to his “limited ability to produce quality recordings” and that he’s already “exhausted all his options for recording in his home with a very limited production crew.”

Read More: NBA YoungBoy Says He’s Going To Turn Himself In And Get Himself Together

NBA YoungBoy Performs At Lil WeezyAna

NEW ORLEANS, LA – AUGUST 25: NBA YoungBoy performs during Lil. WeezyAna at Champions Square on August 25, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)

Under the proposed terms, YoungBoy would still be subject to adhering to a curfew, wearing an ankle monitor at all times, and having a limitation on visitors. He would also be unable to tour. In response, prosecutors argue that the request is “hopelessly vague.” “The United States fails to see how the defendant’s current conditions of pre-trial release prohibit him from seeking and obtaining mental health treatment,” Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Morris said in a filing submitted on Monday, as noted by The Fader. He added that YoungBoy can receive “necessary” medical appointments through telehealth therapy. As for the recording of new music, Morris cited the recent release of his latest record, Decided 2, as proof his house arrest isn’t stopping his work.

The judge in the case has yet to issue a ruling on the proposal. A grand jury originally indicted YoungBoy in March 2021 on felony weapons possession in Louisiana. Be on the lookout for further updates on NBA YoungBoy and his ongoing case on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: NBA YoungBoy Celebrates Birthday With Push-Up Challenge: Watch

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Pras Claims His Former Lawyer Used A.I. To Craft Closing Arguments, Wants New Trial

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Pras wants a new trial after being found guilty of 10 criminal counts, including conspiracy, witness tampering, and failing to register as an agent of China. The Fugees member says his former lawyer, David Kenner, used artificial intelligence to craft the closing arguments in his case and has hired a new legal team to help him. Kenner previously represented Suge Knight, Tory Lanez, and more. Pras is alleged to have aided Malaysian entrepreneur Jho Low in gaining political clout in America.

This time around, Pras is working with the firm, ArentFox Schiff LLP, which boasts Peter Zeidenberg, former US Senator Doug Jones, and Scott Peeler. The new lawyers say Kenner spoke openly about his use of EyeLevel’s A.I. technology. “We also found evidence indicating that this was true. Specifically, we identified a press release issued by a company called EyeLevel after the trial that stated: ‘EyeLevel.AI’s litigation assistance technology made history last week, becoming the first use of generative AI in a federal trial. The case involved Pras Michel, a former member of the Hip-Hop band The Fugees, who was on trial for international fraud charges,” Pras’ legal team argued.

Read More: Pras Reveals He Only Learned Of Fugees Reunion Last Week

Pras Arrives At Court

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 03: Pras Michel, a member of the 1990’s hip-hop group the Fugees and his lawyer David. Kenner (R) arrive at U.S. District Court on April 3, 2023, in Washington, DC. Michel is on trial for his alleged participation in a campaign finance conspiracy. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

They also added that Kenner bragged the tech turned “hours or days” of his legal work into “seconds.” Kenner is also believed to have a financial stake in the company.

The latest update on Pras’ case comes as the Fugees recently reunited during Lauryn Hill’s performance at Global Citizen Festival. They’ll be performing on her upcoming tour as well, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Following the previous guilty verdict, Pras is currently facing up to 20 years in prison. Be on the lookout for further updates on his case on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Lauryn Hill Announces 25th Anniversary Tour For “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”

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Lawyers In Young Thug’s YSL RICO Case Threatened With Contempt Over “Professionalism”

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Judge Ural Glanville got into it with attorneys Anastassios Manettas and Eric R. Johnson, who are representing Miles Farley and Christian Eppinger in the ongoing YSL RICO case involving Young Thug. Glanville threatened them with jail time for contempt of court after Manettas refused to buy lunch for all the lawyers in the case. He also ordered them to complete a 17-page essay on “the importance of professionalism,” and “treating one’s opponents with civility.”

“A 17-page paper on the importance of professionalism in the legal field and treating one’s opponents with civility. Paper is to be published quality in APA format and at least 10 primary and secondary sources,” the Judge said in a clip from court uploaded by Law&Crime Network. “April 28 at noon or you do 20 days,” Glanville said to Johnson.

Young Thug With Gunna At The BET Awards

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 01: Young Thug and Gunna attend the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on October 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

Before the day ended, Glanville further reminded the court of being professional. “It has been brought to my attention that some of you at various times have gotten cross purposes with our court personnel. And this falls under the general category of professionalism and our obligations as counsel…. Do not provide extra items in contravention of the things that our deputy have told you,” the judge also said. “On a basic level, folks, all of us are still subject to the rules to include the court. So please don’t put yourself cross purposes with the court.”

The latest incident comes after one lawyer in the trial went viral on social media, Monday, for using the term, “cap,” while addressing the judge in court. The full case is expected to break records as the longest criminal trial in Fulton County history. It is now the third month of jury selection and experts expect the trial itself to take at least nine months in total. The time commitment is reportedly further playing a role in the difficulty of finding a jury.

The YSL RICO Trial

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Tory Lanez Demands Prince From “L&HH” To Sit For Deposition In Assault Case

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Tory Lanez and his legal team recently demanded that Prince of Love & Hip Hop: Miami fame sit down for a deposition after the latter’s accusations against him. Moreover, according to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Lanez’s lawyers asked a judge in Miami court to force Prince to show up to the proceeding. Furthermore, this follows Prince’s lawsuit against the Canadian rapper for assault. Going off his testimony, Lanez allegedly attacked him with assistance from his crew on two separate occasions.

First, the “Say It” star, according to Prince’s testimony, punched him in the face after a verbal altercation in 2019. Said incident took place at the nightclub LIV on November 8th, located near Miami Beach. Not only that, but the reality star said Tory’s entourage also jumped him afterwards, and he alleged that it caused blunt trauma to his back, neck, and chest. However, nightclubs proved to be a common factor, at least from Prince’s side of the story. Moreover, he alleged later in 2020 that he ran into Lanez again at a separate Miami nightclub. Much like his last accusation, he said that the artist punched him in the face.

Tory Lanez Wants Prince To Sit For Deposition

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 26: Prince Michael Harty attends the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on August 26, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

“Immediately after punching [Prince] in the face, [Tory’s] employee/agent fled and attempted to enter [Tory’s] vehicle,” the lawsuit stated. “However, [Tory] yelled at the agent/employee and instructed him to leave the premises in a separate vehicle.” Still, Lanez argued that his actions were in self-defense and moved to dismiss. Furthermore, Lanez later asked the court to uphold a settlement that Prince allegedly signed, though he says the artist pressured him into doing so. “He told me not to contact my lawyer when I told him I needed my lawyer to review the agreement,” the Miami native stated. Also, he said that he found Tory with an armed member of his team at the settlement meeting, which further pressured him.

“This individual is the same individual who was ordered by [Lanez] to attack me at the Vendome night club and he did so,” Prince stated. “I cannot share his identity at this time as this individual threatened me that if I mention his name, I would be severely injured or even killed. This individual was in possession of a firearm which was visible at the meeting.” Now, Lanez said he paid Prince $20K to settle and wants him to face a deposition to enforce the deal in court. Regardless of your take on these stars, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest on Prince from Love & Hip Hop and Tory Lanez.

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Young Thug Trial Faces Bump As Lawyers Of Two YSL Codefendants Are Pregnant

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The Young Thug and YSL trial recently took a turn as two lawyers of codefendants are now pregnant. Now, both YSL members potentially face separate trials at a later date that could keep them incarcerated for longer. Moreover, prosecutors filed a motion this week to eliminate Tenquarius Mender and Kahlieff Adams from Thug’s trial. Furthermore, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that prosecutors referred to “impending and imminent personal leave of absence.” However, the pregnant lawyers in question dismissed these notions and maintained they can fully represent their clients.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 17: Rapper Young Thug performs at halftime during the Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on November 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

“I don’t think pregnancy should be treated as a disease or a disability,” Nicole Fegan, who represents Mender, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If Rihanna can do it, I’m sure that we can both adequately represent our clients.” While Thugger’s trial could last from six to nine months, it’s unclear how far along each lawyer is in their pregnancy. Interestingly, Fegan requested the judge to sever her client from the RICO case, and the court denied said motion. Following that, now she objected to the state creating a separate trial. From her statement, she seemed to specifically highlight that jury selection is already underway. As such, any initial plans she had for severance would now hurt the process too much.

“I think at this point, trying them separately would be expensive and potentially prejudicial because the jury selection process has already started,” Fegan remarked. “We’ve been on this case since May, and in May I wasn’t pregnant.” On the other hand, neither Mender nor Adams expressed desires for new lawyers after this revelation, at least as of writing this article. Moreover, the court will hear this motion on Tuesday (February 21) at the earliest.

Meanwhile, jury selection for YSL’s case already faced several delays and could take a while to complete. Considering that, these developments only mean more time and money for the court, and months behind bars for defendants. For example, after excusing many jurors for varied health and circumstance reasons, the court sought out an additional 300 potential jurors. Whether these pregnancies pose an obstacle for the collective remains to be seen. However, prosecutors seem keen on focusing in on the meat of the case and setting precedent for later convictions. Regardless, come back to HNHH for the latest on Young Thug and the YSL trial.

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Kanye West Finally Dropped By Lawyers

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An NYC law firm successfully served Kanye West documents to drop him as a client after he spent months M.I.A.. Moreover, AllHipHop reported that Greenberg Traurig, LLP successfully cut ties with Ye as of Wednesday (February 1). The firm requested to officialize this process as early as at least November 30. In this new filing, attorney Nina D. Boyajian said they finally presented the documents thanks to some help from the Chicago rapper’s new attorney. Previously, Traurig took out two newspaper ads in California to publicly renounce their relationship and association with Kanye.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 21: Kanye West is seen on October 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

“On January 18, 2023, an attorney based in California contacted my firm advising that he would be representing ‘Ye on some of his legal matters,’” she wrote in the court documents. “During the course of several emails and a phone call with this attorney, I requested that he coordinate personal service of the Order on Ye.” Furthermore, Boyajian continued, “On February 1, 2023, the attorney referenced above emailed me the executed Certificate of Service attached hereto as Exhibit A. I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.”

Moreover, they claimed last month that they were unable to locate Kanye to officially sever their ties. In fact, they even requested the courts to recognize a public announcement in the Los Angeles area as sufficient notice. Still, they intended their newspaper ads to contribute to a “multi-prong approach” to get him to notice, and apparently it worked. “Publication of the Withdrawal Order’s contents in two Los Angeles-area newspapers, where Ye appears to reside, will also apprise him of the Withdrawal Order,” the filing read.

However, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres denied requests to make the separation official. Moreover, she expressed doubt in Greenberg Traurig exhausting all their efforts to contact the rapper directly. The law firm represented Ye in a case against Ultra International Music Publishing over an uncleared Donda 2 sample. Said case stems from a June complaint to a U.S. District Court in New York. It claimed that “Flowers” by Kanye sampled Marshall Jefferson’s 1986 Chicago house classic “Move Your Body” without proper compensation. With or without a legal team, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest on Kanye West.

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