T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris have misplaced a lawsuit towards a toy firm over the likeness of the corporate’s LOL Shock Dolls to the couple’s musical group OMG Girlz.
On Friday (Could 26), a jury finally dominated in favor of MGA Leisure after a 10-day trial and only some hours of deliberation. Legislation 360 studies that the couple had sought $100 million in damages.
The jury discovered that MGA Leisure’s OMG Dollz didn’t infringe on the trademark or misappropriate the identify or likeness of the couple’s OMG Girlz rap group, which featured T.I. and Tiny’s daughter, Zonnique Pullins, and was co-owned by the Atlanta rapper.
Lil Wayne’s daughter Reginae Carter and sisters Bahja and Lourdes Rodriguez have been additionally group members.
Friday’s ruling marks the top of a fierce authorized battle that included accusations of extortion and racism.
RELATED: Choose Declares Mistrial In T.I. & Tiny’s Lawsuit In opposition to Toymaker MGA Leisure Over Common LOL Shock Dolls
Tip did say he respects the jury’s verdict, however his spouse described the end result as “horrible.”
“It’s horrible, however no matter,” Tiny advised Law360 after the ruling. “(I’d) hear what the jurors should say,” Tip added.
MGA Leisure CEO Says He “Feels Nice” After Validating Verdict
In the meantime, MGA’s Chief Government Officer Isaac Larian stated he “feels nice” and added that the decision validates his claims that the swimsuit was “a shakedown.”
“I’m glad they got here again with this verdict so quick,” Larian advised the outlet.
Tiny fashioned the OMZ Girlz teen pop lady group again in 2009. In January, she sued MGA for allegedly stealing the group’s likeness for its L.O.L Shock OMG Women dolls.
The couple claimed that in 2010, MGA introduced its plan to launch a line of dolls modeled after the OMG Girlz. Nonetheless, in line with the lawsuit, it couldn’t safe the mandatory licensing agreements and refused to barter compensation.
The dolls ultimately hit cabinets in 2019.
Oop! Zonnique calls out the model OMG Dolls over similarities of their merchandise that appear like her group, the OMG Girlz! Roomies what ya’ll suppose?! 📷:(@gettyimages ) pic.twitter.com/sh296gg13t
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) April 18, 2022
Verdict Comes Months After Mistrial The place Choose Dominated In opposition to Cultural Appropriation Argument
Choose James V. Selna, who presided over T.I. and Tiny’s lawsuit, declared it a mistrial in January.
Selna stated their “cultural appropriation” argument was “immaterial and impertinent” to the precise authorized points within the case and couldn’t be made in entrance of jurors.
The mistrial was dominated after MGA Leisure argued the cultural appropriation accusations had ruined their alternative for a good trial.
T.I. and Tiny tried to influence the jury that the dolls exemplified “cultural appropriation and outright theft of the mental property.” In addition they accused the toy firm of stealing the look of “younger multicultural ladies.”
On the time, the toymaker stated they have been upset with the mistrial final result. It added that range “has all the time been a key worth” at MGA.
“Range has all the time been a key worth,” MGA stated following January’s mistrial. “We’re upset that the trial was minimize quick, however stay up for vindicating our rights within the subsequent trial.”
I discussed this in my e-newsletter, and I am stunned this hasn’t gotten extra consideration, however there is a trial starting this week in L.A. over whether or not a line of dolls infringes upon the look of a real-life lady’s group. LOL Shock OMG! pic.twitter.com/ZVWSGQ3Kkn
— Eriq Gardner ✍️ (@eriqgardner) January 17, 2023
