Nicki Minaj Faces $295,605 Legal Battle as Former Lawyers Say She Has Not Responded to Lawsuit 'in Any Way'
The rapper spent election day campaigning for Trump's party, but a judge could rule against her on 16 November
Nicki Minaj has not responded to her former lawyers' lawsuit over unpaid bills, the firm says. Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, which fought for her in a copyright case, wants $295,605 (about £222,000). On Tuesday 3 November, it told a Los Angeles court its claim 'has not been responded to in any way'.
The filing came minutes after Minaj appeared in New Hampshire. A default judgement could allow the court to decide the claim without her defence. The hearing is on 16 November. In January, she paid a roughly $500,000 (about £375,000) default judgement to avoid a forced sale of her $20 million (about £15 million) home.
What the Law Firm Says
Gordon Rees, a national firm, acted for Minaj in a copyright case brought by Julius Johnson. He claimed her song 'I Lied' copied the beat and instrumentation of his track 'onmysleeve'. Minaj hired the firm under a written contract in October 2024, according to the report. Gordon Rees says it charged Minaj and Harajuku Barbie Music LLC $229,541.75 (about £172,000), which remained unpaid when it sued in March. The graphic below breaks down the claim.
Late fees of $25,249.51 (about £19,000) then built up, the firm says, with interest and other charges making up the rest of the total. The firm served Minaj more than 30 days ago, so it has renewed its request, first made in July. Photos in July appeared to show legal papers posted on the gate of her California home. Minaj's representatives did not answer requests for comment from TheWrap or Rolling Stone.
Minaj's Week With Trump
On Election Day, Minaj showed up at a polling place in Derry, New Hampshire, as voters chose a new member of Congress. Arriving with a police escort, she posed next to a sign for Anthony DiLorenzo, Trump's pick for Congress. Democrat Stefany Shaheen beat him.
Nine days earlier, Minaj flew with Trump on Air Force One to a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, where she led a 'We love Trump' chant.
At that rally, she said she would support Trump if he ran again, although the 22nd Amendment bars him from a third term. On the plane, she did a mock audition for White House press secretary. Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, posted the video on X, saying 'we may have found the new White House Press Secretary'. In it, Minaj claimed Trump had three election wins; he has won two. She once vowed never to back him.
Her Other Money Disputes
That case was brought by Thomas Weidenmuller, a security guard who said Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, attacked him at a 2019 show in Germany. He won $503,318 (about £377,000) after the couple failed to respond. His application to force a sale estimated her net worth at $150 million-plus (£111 million-plus).
Jingle Ball organiser 24/7 Productions (USA) Inc. also sued Minaj in March, claiming it advanced over $255,000 (about £190,000) for her events and seeking $275,149 (about £206,000). Her company, Pink Friday Productions LLC, said in a July filing it had paid. Her lawyers in that case later asked to withdraw, citing 'irreconcilable differences'. Minaj has not publicly addressed the Gordon Rees claim.
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