By Stacy Brown
NNPA Newswire
Rapper T.I. and singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris have emerged victorious in a major lawsuit against toy company MGA Entertainment, securing a $71 million judgment. The couple, alongside their music group OMG Girlz, accused MGA of violating their intellectual property rights by copying the group’s image and style for the company’s popular L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls.
The case, which spanned over three years, concluded when a jury ruled in favor of the Harris family. According to People magazine, Tiny, 49, was elated as she shared her thoughts in an Instagram Live video outside the Santa Ana, California federal courthouse.
Reflecting on the years-long legal battle, she said, “It was a hell of a fight. We couldn’t be more happy.”
Tiny expressed profound gratitude to the jurors, who delivered a unanimous verdict. “They heard our story and they knew we wasn’t lying. It’s amazing,” she said.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2020, focused on more than a dozen L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls that strongly resemble the OMG Girlz, a group Tiny formed in 2009 with her daughter, Zonnique Pullins, along with Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack. According to the court, MGA had “infringed on the trade dress and misappropriated the name, image and likeness” of the group, particularly their outfits and hairstyles.
People magazine noted that the jury awarded $53.6 million in punitive damages in addition to the initial settlement, an outcome that surprised even Tiny.
“I mean, wow. They did more than I thought they would,” she told Rolling Stone after the verdict. “I would have been happy with whatever. They blessed us more than beyond.”
The OMG Girlz themselves testified during the three-week trial, recalling specific public events and photos where the dolls copied their unique wardrobe and style.
Womack shared her emotional reaction, telling Rolling Stone, “I’m so grateful and overwhelmed with joy.”
Pullins added that when the jurors unanimously recognized the group’s memorable style, “We all silently cried.”
T.I. also reflected on the case, criticizing MGA for attempting to dismiss the lawsuit as a “money grab.”
“That kind of condescension comes from when you’re not really in touch with the reality of culture,” he said in an interview with Rolling Stone. The rapper emphasized that MGA’s actions were exploitative, stating, “They were the ones that came and ripped us off, and expected us to not have the audacity to stand up and speak for ourselves.”
Despite MGA’s founder, Isaac Larian calling the claims baseless and referring to the Harris family as “extortionists,” the jury’s decision firmly supported the OMG Girlz, reinforcing the importance of protecting creative and cultural expression.
“We did this for the culture,” Tiny said outside the courthouse, a resounding declaration of their victory.