2024-09-25 06:05:03
T.I. and Tiny are celebrating a massive win on behalf of the OMG Girlz.
The hip-hop couple won $71 million in their multi-year lawsuit against MGA Entertainment, a toy company they accused of violating the intellectual property rights of their teen girl group OMG Girlz, with the company’s line of L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls, according to Rolling Stone and The Independent.
The rapper and Xscape singer accused the toy company of misappropriating the girl group’s name, image and likeness. Established in 2009 by Tiny, OMG Girlz was led by Tiny’s daughter Zonnique Pullins, with Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack.
“OMG ON ERRYTHANG,” Pullins wrote on Instagram Monday. “thank you to our team, the jurors, and my parents for giving us a platform to fight for our brand! love you mommy @majorgirl when everybody was ready to quit you said HELL NAH! very much THAT GIRL.”
On Monday, a jury ruled that 15 of the more than 30 dolls in the line did infringe on the group’s trade dress — or the visual appearance of the product — name, image or likeness, according to the outlets. At trial, the couple alleged MGA sold specific dolls that copied the OMG Girlz’s outfits in media photos or at “very specific public events,” the outlets said. MGA’s legal team referred to the couple’s lawsuit as a “money grab,” Rolling Stone reported.
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The lawsuit was first filed in 2020 and has resulted in three trials, including one that resulted in a mistrial in January 2023, after the jury heard barred testimony that accused the toy company of “cultural appropriation,” according to the outlets. A second trial in May 2023 ruled in favor of MGA, but a June 2023 Supreme Court ruling over a Jack Daniel’s whiskey-themed dog toy allowed for a retrial.
Tiny has called out the company over the years, including last week, sharing side-by-side photos of the O.M.G. dolls and OMG Girlz.
“1 of many but biggest custom outfit in questioned! @omggirlz vs #OMGDolls last wk of court! God willing the truth will prevail!!!” Tiny wrote in a collaborative post with T.I.
On Monday, Tiny wrote thanking the judge presiding over the case, the jury and her legal team: “God we thank you so much!!”
OMG Girlz has been inactive for several years, but last week, the group, featuring its three original members, released the “grown” single and music video for “Motion.”
