Kanye West Claims Self-Defense In Autograph Dealer Assault Lawsuit

BYGabriel Bras Nevares714 Views
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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Recording artist Kanye West performs onstage during The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the STAPLES Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images)

The alleged 2022 altercation, according to the plaintiff, saw Ye strike him multiple times despite their business in the past.

Kanye West seeks to dismiss the assault lawsuit against him from an alleged autograph dealer who sought his signature and is claiming self-defense in this case while denying any and all wrongdoing, according to court documents reportedly obtained by Radar Online. For those unaware, Justin Poplawski sued Ye this January in Los Angeles Superior Court for alleged battery and assault, and claimed to be a renowned autograph dealer who got his signature in the past without issue. The story goes that, on January 13 of 2022, Poplawski went to Soho Warehouse in downtown L.A. after hearing the Chicago artist was there.

Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses Kanye West of screaming at the supposed autograph dealer on his way out of the building, referencing his "f***ing divorce" from Kim Kardashian. "Go the f**k [out of] here before I beat you the f**k up. I’m going to make an f***ing example out of you," he allegedly shouted at Paplowski. Then, the plaintiff claims, the 46-year-old punched his face. "So do you want to get attacked for real?" he allegedly asked Paplowski. When Paplowski allegedly asked Ye to apologize, he claims that he responded with "Apology for what?" Paplowski claims he attacked him several more times and "severely" injured and disfigured him as one of the rapper's colleagues failed to settle him down.

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Kanye West and Bianca Censori at Marni RTW Fall 2024 as part of Milan Ready to Wear Fashion Week held on February 23, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images)

As such, the lawsuit demands unspecified damages for medical expenses and mental strain. "Defendant is informed and believes, and based on such information and belief, alleges that Defendant was justified in doing any and/or all of the acts alleged in the Complaint," the reportedly filed response reads. "All of the purported causes of action in the Complaint [become null] to the extent [Kanye West] acted in defense of himself and/or others. [West] acted reasonably and in good faith at all times material herein, based on all relevant facts and circumstances known to [West] at the time [West] so acted."

The "CARNIVAL" creative requested that the court dismiss this case, award him attorney fees, and deny Paplowski any damages. Meanwhile, other lawsuits for sample clearance issues and other matters remain on the docket. We'll see whether any of them see a similarly big update. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kanye West.

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.