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Nicki Minaj's legal team has addressed the shocking lawsuit that was filed by the rapper's former employee.
According to a report TMZ published on Friday, January 3, Brandon Garrett, a man who claimed to worked as a day-to-day manager for Minaj's "Pink Friday 2 World Tour," accused the seasoned rapper of hitting him in a fit of rage while backstage of her tour stop at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit last April. In legal documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Garrett said claimed Minaj "open-handedly struck Plaintiff on the right side of his face, causing his head to swing backwards as his hat flew off his head."
“At this time, no complaint has been served upon Mrs. Petty, and therefore, we are unaware of the specific allegations," Minaj’s attorney Judd Burstein told Billboard. "However, if the lawsuit is as reported by TMZ, it is completely false and frivolous. We are confident that the matter brought by this ex assistant will be resolved swiftly in Mrs. Petty’s favor.”
Garrett claimed the alleged assault happened after he was confronted by Minaj and her former manager Deb Antney. Antney allegedly pressed Garrett about sending hospitality manager Luke Montgomery to pick up prescriptions for Minaj in his place. Garrett claimed he sent Montgomery in his place because Minaj wanted the prescriptions immediately and he was busy working with the rapper in the quick change room during a performance at the venue. Minaj allegedly got upset and screamed at him.
In the lawsuit, Garrett claimed Minaj also yelled at Montgomery and demanded him to pull up information on when he went to the pharmacy and which prescription he picked up. When neither Garrett nor Montgomery could locate the information she requested, Minaj allegedly asked for Montgomery's phone and began yelling at Garrett again while getting close to his face. That's when she allegedly struck him in the face and hit his right wrist which knocked documents in Garrett's hand to the floor.
Garrett said Minaj ordered him out of the room. He left and retreated to a bathroom where he locked himself and remained for several hours. After he was informed he was not riding on the bus from Detroit to Chicago, Garrett was stranded and had to book a flight to Chicago. He stayed at his hotel in the windy city for several days because he felt "fearful and traumatized." He filed a police report with the Chicago Police Department and flew back to Detroit to file another police report there. Garrett is suing Minaj for intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery. He's seeking unspecified general, punitive and exemplary damages.