Rapper Nicki Minaj is facing a lawsuit filed by her former employee, Brandon Garrett, who has accused her of assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The complaint was lodged last Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, following an alleged incident backstage after a concert in Detroit at the Little Caesars Arena on April 21, 2024.
Garrett, who worked as a day-to-day manager on Minaj's Pink Friday 2 tour, claims that the altercation began due to a miscommunication about a task involving Minaj's prescriptions. According to Garrett, Minaj became enraged and struck him multiple times during a confrontation with her staff. He alleges that Minaj's frustration escalated when Garrett assigned another employee the responsibility of picking up her prescriptions. In the heat of the exchange, Minaj reportedly yelled at Garrett, made threats, and physically assaulted him, causing him pain and distress.
The lawsuit details how Garrett was summoned to Minaj’s dressing room, where the altercation took place. After the incident, Garrett locked himself in a restroom for safety and later learned that he had been removed from the tour. Out of fear for his safety, Garrett reportedly sought police assistance in both Detroit and Chicago and filed an official police report regarding the incident.
Minaj’s legal representative, Judd Burstein, responded to the allegations in a statement shared with Variety, describing the claims as “completely false and frivolous.” Burstein further emphasized that no formal complaint had been served to Minaj or her husband, Kenneth Petty, and that they were unaware of the specific allegations. He expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved in Minaj’s favor.
Garrett is seeking both punitive and general damages in the lawsuit, asserting that the incident caused him significant emotional distress and physical discomfort. As of now, Nicki Minaj has not publicly commented further on the matter beyond her lawyer’s statement.
The legal proceedings are still in the early stages, and the outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain. Fans and industry insiders will be watching closely as the case unfolds, as it could have significant implications for Minaj’s career and reputation.
