Nicki Minaj is being sued for aggravated physical assault and "intentional infliction of emotional distress" by her former tour manager.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ and Variety, a man named Brandon Garrett filed a lawsuit against the 42-year-old Grammy nominee in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, January 3rd.
Garrett claims that while working as her manager during the Pink Friday 2 tour, he had a run-in with the rapper that ended with her scolding him and hitting him.
The alleged incident happened backstage at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on April 21, 2024, after Minaj's concert had ended, media reports said.
Garrett's lawyers allege in the complaint that the tour manager was on his way to the arena when Minaj's head of security, Larry Dathan, sent him a text, asking him to speak with Minaj in her dressing room.
Garrett claims eight people from Minaj's staff were present in the dressing room, including another employee named Luke Montgomery. He claims Minaj began complaining about some of the staff members when she turned her attention to Montgomery, asking him what his position was, according to court documents.
"Mr. Montgomery explained that his duties included such tasks as tidying up the dressing room, tidying up the hotel room, providing refreshments in the quick change room, and setting up the tour bus and private jet," the lawsuit said. "Mr. Montgomery mentioned that these tasks were in addition to any requests from Minaj communicated by Garrett, including orders for food, drinks, personal items, baby items and, most notably, prescriptions."
Garrett claims he told Minaj he asked Montgomery to get the prescriptions because he was busy with tour responsibilities, including helping Minaj with costume changes during her concerts.
In the complaint, Garrett claims that Minaj was "visibly upset" and "shouted angrily" at him, saying, "Are you crazy for telling him to get my prescription? Are you crazy?! If my husband [Kenneth Petty ] would be here, he'd break your teeth. You're a dead man all your life and you'll never be nobody, I'll make sure of it."
Minaj also allegedly yelled at Montgomery and asked him to look through his phone to find the exact medication he had taken for her, the media reported, citing the documents. Garrett claims that Minaj then turned her attention to Garrett and "got too close to his face."
"At this point, [Minaj] slapped [Garrett] on the right side of his face, causing his head to swing back as the hat flew off his head," the complaint states, per Variety. Garrett's attorneys also state that he was hit in the right wrist, leaving him "killed."
Garrett's lawyers write in the complaint that the former manager locked himself in the bathroom for several hours after the incident until he received a text telling him not to go to other parts of the tour.
The former manager eventually filed an official Detroit police report, and his lawyers are now seeking damages.
Minaj's attorney, Judd Burstein, told TMZ in a statement that she had not yet received the complaint, but denied the allegations reported by the media.
"At the moment, no complaint has been submitted to [Minaj] and we are not aware of the specific charges," the statement said. "However, if the lawsuit is as reported by TMZ, it is completely false and frivolous. We are confident that the matter brought by this former assistant will be resolved expeditiously in our favor."
