Photo Credit: Getty Images
Rapper T.I. and his wife Tameka "Tiny" Harris have emerged victorious in their intellectual property lawsuit against toy manufacturing giant MGA Entertainment. The federal jury in Santa Ana, California, awarded the couple a staggering $71 million on Monday, September 23, 2024, concluding a protracted legal battle that began in 2020.
The lawsuit centered on allegations that MGA's L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls violated the intellectual property rights of the OMG Girlz, a music group formed by the Harrises in 2009. The jury found that more than a dozen of MGA's dolls infringed upon the trade dress and misappropriated the name, image, and likeness of the all-female band.
Tiny Harris expressed her elation outside the courthouse, stating, "We did this for the city. We did this for the culture. It was a hell of a fight." The verdict included $17.4 million in compensatory damages and an additional $53.6 million in punitive damages, far exceeding the plaintiffs' expectations.
The trial, which lasted three weeks, featured testimony from former OMG Girlz members Zonnique Pullins, Bahja Rodriguez, and Breaunna Womack. The group accused MGA of promoting dolls that appeared identical to their wardrobe and style at specific public events and in photographs.
T.I. criticized MGA's defense strategy, telling Rolling Stone, "I think that was a bully tactic. They were the ones that came and ripped us off, and [they] expected us to not have the audacity to stand up and speak for ourselves."
MGA Entertainment's founder, Isaac Larian, had vehemently denied the allegations throughout the trial, even referring to the Harris family and OMG Girlz as "extortionists." The company has not yet commented on the verdict or indicated whether they plan to appeal.
