T.I. and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris have secured an impressive $71 million jury verdict in their lawsuit against MGA Entertainment, the toymaker accused of appropriating elements from their former girl group, OMG Girlz, for a line of O.M.G. dolls.
The jury found that MGA infringed on the trade dress and likeness rights associated with the OMG Girlz, a musical group founded by Tiny and including her daughter Zonnique “Star” Pullins. This decision came after a three-week trial and a day of deliberations, leading to an award of $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages for the couple and their companies. A representative for MGA has not yet commented on the matter.
John Keville, the lead attorney for T.I. and Tiny, expressed gratitude towards the jury for holding MGA accountable. He highlighted their determination, stating that the couple fought against a major corporation with resilience and commitment to protect their children and creative rights.
The legal conflicts between the parties began in 2021, with T.I. (Clifford Harris) and Tiny alleging that MGA committed both cultural appropriation and theft by basing the doll designs on the OMG Girlz, which represented young multicultural women. Their complaint included images to demonstrate the similarities between the dolls and the actual members of the group.
MGA argued that its dolls, often marketed as L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G., were distinct and should not be confused with the short-lived band.
The case has undergone extensive litigation, including two previous trials. The first trial in January 2023 was declared a mistrial due to inadmissible testimony, and the second trial concluded with a verdict favoring MGA. This second outcome was later overturned on appeal, resulting in a third trial that ultimately favored T.I. and Tiny.
Following the verdict, Tiny shared her elation via an Instagram livestream, expressing gratitude to the jurors for believing in their story. The OMG Girlz members also celebrated the ruling, indicating that it validates their claims of MGA’s infringement and encourages others to respect artists’ intellectual property rights.
MGA still has the option to appeal the verdict and damages, which would involve a request for the judge to overturn the ruling followed by an appeal to a federal court.