Grammy-winning artist and “Hustlers” star Cardi B has won her lawsuit against YouTuber and celebrity gossip vlogger Tasha K.
The suit was first filed in 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Cardi B alleged in her lawsuit that Tasha K spread “‘defamatory statements’ about the rapper” on her website for her own financial gain.
In her lawsuit, Cardi B cited over 20 videos going back to 2018. The videos and social media posts referenced in the case include Tasha K claiming that Cardi B “prostituted for a living,” “got herpes,” and is “just a Grammy Nominated Prostitute, running around spreading her herpes.”
Despite Tasha K’s claims that Cardi B made negative comments about her and her YouTube channel, the judge determined Tasha K has “failed to produce any evidence that the plaintiff [Cardi B] herself threatened [Tasha K].”
On the flipside, Cardi B shared physical and mental ailments she suffered from as a result of Tasha K’s videos. Specifically, the rapper shared that she suffered from migraines, anxiety and fatigue, and was “extremely suicidal.”
Cardi B was awarded not only $1.25 million for invasion of privacy and infliction of emotional distress, but also roughly $3 million in punitive damages and attorneys fees. Her total verdict is nearly $4.1 million.
Tasha K’s attorneys have stated they are unhappy with the verdict and will be filing an appeal. Cardi B has explained that the victory against Tasha K has made her extremely happy and she feels like she received the justice she deserved.
Although many may not realize it, it is much more difficult for celebrities to win libel cases than it is for private citizens. Successful celebrity defamation cases are rare, which makes this case especially noteworthy, according to Bradley pre-law professor Ashley Miller.
“It is much harder for celebrities to win defamation cases because they are considered public figures, thus they have a heavier burden when proving the element of their case,” Miller explained.
In defamation cases against public figures, they have to prove that the defendant acted with actual malice with solid evidence. The statements need to be false or show that the defendant acted with reckless disregard of the truth.
“I am not sure that it will pave the way for future successful defamation lawsuits because the facts here were pretty clear-cut,” Miller said. “Tasha K said some very specific things about Cardi B that were easily proven to be false, and Cardi was able to successfully establish damages.”
This case proves that not only has Cardi B made waves in the music industry but it has the potential to be a trailblazer in the legal field as well. One thing is clear, though. The “Rumors” artist knows exactly how to handle them.
