Movies

T.I., Tiny awarded $71 million in lawsuit over toymaker MGA’s OMG Fashion Dolls

BBG News

As a longtime fan of T.I., Tiny, and their musical ventures, I can’t help but feel elated by their recent victory over MGA Entertainment. This is not just a win for them, but a triumph for all artists who strive to create unique content in the face of potential intellectual property theft.

This week, the musical duo T.I. and Tiny received a substantial payout running into tens of millions, following their legal dispute over intellectual property with MGA Entertainment, who manufacture their line of unusual OMG Fashion dolls.

As a passionate movie-goer, I was thrilled to learn that on Monday, the jury granted over $71 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages to two hip-hop businesses, Grand Hustle and Pretty Hustle, along with the teen pop sensation OMG Girlz. The verdict, as per documents obtained by The Times, amounts to a staggering total win of approximately $71 million!

In a 2021 lawsuit response, T.I. and Tiny claimed that the company MGA Entertainment, known for Little Tikes and Bratz toys, copied the appearance of their OMG Fashion dolls from the OMG Girlz group, formed by Tiny in 2009. Since its establishment, the music group has performed and released music under the management of the hip-hop couple. The musicians, Clifford Harris Jr. and Tameka Harris, alleged that the unique fashion design, visual image, and hairstyle of their OMG Girlz were copied by MGA’s OMG Dolls without any payment, recognition, or permission from the original creators.

2021’s rebuttal featured identical photographs of MGA’s OMG dolls alongside the OMG Girlz band members, highlighting their matching stage costumes and striking hairdos.

2010 saw MGA unveiling plans for a doll line inspired by the girl group “Where the Boys At?”, with intentions to collaborate with Grand Hustle or Pretty Hustle. However, no agreement was reached, according to the counterclaim. Years later in 2019, MGA introduced their OMG Fashion Dolls, which were accused of copying the distinctive name, look, and overall style (trade dress) of the OMG Girlz.

In January 2023, the initial trial took place, but it resulted in a hung jury. A new trial started in May and MGA won, but the rapper and singer of Xscape were given another chance to defend themselves in September 2023. The final trial, the third one, started recently in a federal courtroom in Santa Ana, California, and lasted for three weeks.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Tiny expressed surprise at the extent of what they accomplished, saying “They exceeded my expectations.” He continued, “I would have been content with less, but they went above and beyond. We were eager to express our gratitude to the jurors, but we didn’t get the chance.

In an interview, T.I. expressed his satisfaction, saying, “We’re delighted we emerged victorious. It feels great to stand up for creative minds and protect our original work, which some big companies seem to view as a common, freely accessible resource.

The group known as OMG Girlz (comprising Zonnique Pullins, Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack) recently spoke to TMZ regarding their prolonged legal struggle against MGA over alleged unlawful use of their likeness. They expressed gratitude towards the jury for their decision.

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself reflecting on the importance of artists’ original work and creative rights. It’s crucial that companies consider the gravity of using an artist’s intellectual property without proper consent. Let’s all strive to uphold respect for creativity and artistic expression.

On Tuesday, MGA Entertainment’s legal team had yet to provide a comment in response to The Times’ inquiry.

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2024-09-25 03:01

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