Victory can sometimes feel like a long-fought battle… and for T.I. and his wife, Tiny, this one was no different. After a grueling legal journey, the couple emerged with a stunning $71 million payout. The target of their lawsuit? MGA Entertainment, the toy company they claimed lifted the image of their teen pop group, OMG Girlz, to create their wildly popular L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls. The courtroom’s atmosphere was tense, and the final decision… well, that brought a sense of vindication.
TI and Tiny just won $ 71 MILLION in a trademark lawsuit against a toy company. pic.twitter.com/IIjhPFs1Vl
— James Jones (@jamesjonesesq) September 24, 2024
This wasn’t the first rodeo for the duo, though. The legal fight had dragged on, trial after trial, like a movie with too many sequels. The first case ended abruptly—a mistrial—after some testimonies crossed the line, throwing accusations of cultural appropriation into the mix… the kind of things that muddy the water real quick. A second attempt? Nope. That went sideways, too, with the jury ruling in favor of MGA. But fate threw in a twist when the Supreme Court chimed in, stating that consumer confusion should be taken more seriously in such cases. A new trial—one last roll of the dice for T.I. and Tiny—finally turned the tide.
T.I. and #TinyHarris were awarded a $71 million jury verdict in their court case against MGA Entertainment for violating the intellectual property rights of their pop group, #OMGGirlz. pic.twitter.com/hDSFAuyY9B
— Virtual Celebrity News Network (@virtualcelebnew) September 24, 2024
What was it all about? Seven dolls—part of a much larger set—caught the jury’s eye. The verdict? Each one too closely resembled the OMG Girlz, their unique style, and their flair… a kind of silent theft. And it didn’t stop there—other dolls apparently borrowed looks from stars like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. The kind of thing that makes you wonder… where’s the line between inspiration and imitation?
T.I.’s lawyer wasn’t shy in his closing remarks. John Keville asked the jury to hit MGA where it hurt—pocketbooks. And hit they did, with millions piling up in both real and punitive damages. Social media became part of the evidence, too… posts from fans and onlookers pointing out the striking resemblance between the dolls and the OMG Girlz sparked the flame of recognition.
Rapper T.I. And Wife Tiny Win $71 Million In Lawsuit Against Maker Of L.O.L. Surprise Dolls—The Case, Explainedhttps://t.co/vFlIT00SKA pic.twitter.com/RWiuF9d4ZB
— Forbes (@Forbes) September 24, 2024
Back in 2009, T.I. and Tiny formed OMG Girlz with their daughter, Zonnique Pullins, alongside Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack. The group may have disbanded over the years, but they recently reunited, and the courtroom became another chapter in their saga. The trio even took to the stand, each member offering testimony that underscored just how much their group’s identity had been co-opted… and then repackaged into doll form.
Major Points:
- T.I. and Tiny Harris won a $71 million lawsuit against MGA Entertainment over the OMG Girlz likeness used in L.O.L. Surprise! dolls.
- The couple had sued MGA before, but a mistrial and a prior loss delayed their victory until a Supreme Court ruling allowed for a retrial.
- Seven dolls were found to mirror the OMG Girlz, and other dolls borrowed from stars like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.
- T.I.’s lawyer called for heavy punitive damages, which led to a total award of $71 million.
- The OMG Girlz, formed in 2009, reunited for the trial and testified about the impact of MGA’s use of their image.
Kirk Volo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News