A Santa Ana, California jury awarded T.I. and Tiny $71 million Monday in an intellectual rights case against MGM.
The hip hop mogul and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris won their third trial in this matter, after alleging that toy manufacturing giant MGA Entertainment ‘L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G.” doll products infringed on the couple’s intellectual property rights over their teen pop group OMG Girlz, according to Rolling Stone. Jurors sided with the music duo, and awarded them and their businesses $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages after a trial lasting three weeks.
“I think justice was served. I think it’s a testament to the relentlessness and resilience of my wife, daughter and nieces,” T.I. told the outlet following the ruling.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 05: T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris attend 2019 Black Music Honors at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on September 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Black Music Honors)
T.I. and Tiny alleged that MGA promoted seven particular dolls with appearances reminiscent of how the OMG Girlz looked at “very specific public events” and official photos, according to Rolling Stone. MGA denied their claim.
Isaac Larian, founder of the company, testified that T.I. and Tiny, as well as the OMG Girlz — Zonnique “Star” Pullins, Bahja “Beauty” Rodriguez and Breaunna “Babydoll” Womack — were not involved in the design of the dolls. He went on to label them “extortionists,” the outlet reported.
The image and likeness of Tiny’s oldest daughter, Zonnique Pullins, was of particular interest in the case, according to TMZ.
T.I. responded by telling Rolling Stone that “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.”
WESTWOOD, CA – JUNE 01: (L-R) Rapper T. I. and his wife Tameka Cottle (aka Tiny) arrive at Warner Bros. Pictures Premiere of ‘Entourage’ at Regency Village Theatre on June 1, 2015 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Barry King/Getty Images)
The jurors said 13 dolls from over 30 that were embraced in this matter misused the name, image and likeness and violated the trade dress of the OMG Girlz, according to Rolling Stone. They also reportedly decided that a 14th doll impinged on the group’s trade dress, and a 15th doll misused the OMG Girlz’ name, likeness and image.
Tiny reacted to the ruling by thanking the jurors.
“I mean, wow. They did more than I thought they would,” she told the outlet.
“I would have been happy with whatever. They blessed us more than beyond. We wanted to thank the jurors so bad, but we didn’t get the opportunity,” she told Rolling Stone. (RELATED: Cher Wins Copyright Lawsuit Against Ex-Husband’s Widow)
“We’re just happy we were able to come out on top and fight for creatives and our intellectual property that large corporations seem to think is just public domain and free for all to come and grab and use,” T.I. said, as he alleged that MGM’s approach to the matter was a “bully tactic.”
