Cardi B Slams $5M Mixtape Artwork Lawsuit As A "Celebrity Shakedown"

Cardi B wants the lawsuit thrown out.

BYAron A.
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The lawsuits keep piling on for Cardi B. As her profile grew, more and more people were coming for her in hopes for a bag. Shortly after the success of "Bodak Yellow," Cardi was sued by a man who claimed that the rapper took his picture for the cover art of Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1. He even went on to claim that because of the image, Cardi was able to skyrocket to fame. But Cardi's not budging, demanding that the judge on the case tosses the case out. 

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According to The Blast, Cardi B claims the lawsuit filed by Kevin Michael Brophy is nothing but a "celebrity shakedown." In documents filed to court, she said, “The allegations of the Complaint are so far-fetched and lacking in substance, on their face, that they defy credulity. After having more than a year to conduct jurisdictional discovery, Plaintiff has come up with nothing of substance to put meat on the bare, brittle bones of his vague, conclusory allegations. His claims, couched in sensationalistic language, are inherently, and obviously, implausible.”

Cardi went on to argue that the mixtape photo itself was never sold for merchandise nor wasn't entirely monetized since its release. In terms of his claim that his photo launched Cardi's success, she said her “career’s rapid rise was in fact a direct result of the release, massive promotion and huge success of the single “Bodak Yellow."

Cardi's demanding the whole case is thrown out. 


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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.