DaBaby has emerged victorious in a $6 million federal lawsuit accusing him of battery, breach of contract and defamation.
The North Carolina rapper (real name Jonathan Kirk) was accused of beating and robbing a Miami-based concert promoter named Kenneth Carey, while also backing out of a deal to host an event almost three years ago.
After a five-day trial, a jury found in favor of DaBaby on Monday (December 19), according to TMZ. Additionally, Carey and fellow plaintiff Steve Anyadike were found to be liable for invasion of privacy and unauthorized use of name or likeness in a countersuit filed by the rapper.
“Along with our client, Jonathan Kirk (DaBaby), we are thrilled that this federal jury, after a five-day trial, came to the same conclusion that we have maintained for almost three years — that these plaintiffs were attempting to use the legal system to shake down Mr. Kirk,” the rapper’s attorney, Drew Findling, said.
“Mr. Kirk deserves all the credit in the world for not caving in to these plaintiffs’ cash demands and having the confidence in the facts and his legal team to take this to a jury trial for a complete and total victory!”
Findling also celebrated the victory on Instagram, posting a photo of him, DaBaby and the rest of his legal team flashing smiles and throwing up hand gestures for the camera outside the courthouse.
“WINNING. Clean sweep in a federal jury trial victory for @dababy in Miami in an attempted celebrity cash grab against Mr. Kirk! Case closed,” the lawyer wrote in his caption.
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DaBaby was arrested and questioned by Miami police over his altercation with Carey in January 2020. He was found to have an outstanding warrant in Texas and spent the night in jail before being released the next day.
Although police later dropped the battery charge, Carey filed a lawsuit the following month claiming the “Suge” rapper and his associates had beaten and robbed him, in addition to failing to show for an event he paid him $20,000 to host.
The fight, part of which was caught on camera, reportedly stemmed over a financial disagreement involving damage to a rental car that was part of the deal. Carey claimed DaBaby and his crew stole his phone, money and credit card during the beatdown.
DaBaby’s legal woes aren’t over yet, though. The 30-year-old is also facing a copyright lawsuit over his 2020 hit “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch. In a suit filed earlier this month, producer JuJu Beatz claimed his beat was stolen by the rappers, along with a list of other defendants.
JuJu claimed he sent his own version of the song called “Selena” to an Interscope Records A&R in 2019, but was cut out of the creative process when DaBaby and Roddy’s collaboration arrived the following year, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and going 5x platinum in the process.
