YouTuber Tasha K lost her appeal to Cardi B in the Eleventh Circuit of Appeals Court in Georgia and now has to pay the Bronx rapper $4M, which the judge awarded in the rapper’s favor.
Updated By: Kendall Parks (3/21/23 at 6:05 pm)
Gossip blogger Latasha “Tasha K” Kebe announced, in a now-deleted tweet, she lost her appeal against Cardi B in the $4M defamation lawsuit.
Failing to make her argument to the judge properly, she also forfeited to present her appeal before an appeals court.
The appeals court wrote,
“She never tells us where in the 5500-page record the district court’s alleged errors can be found because Kebe’s brief falls well short of what we require, she has abandoned this argument.”
Cardi B sued Tasha K for defamation in 2019 after the YouTuber posted a blog post that accused the rapper of having a sexually transmitted disease.
The Eleventh Circuit had upheld Cardi B against Tasha K’s claims and ordered her to pay $4M– money she claims not to have. The YouTuber also refused to take down the defamatory posts until she was threatened with jail time.
“We’re obviously pleased that the Eleventh Circuit has affirmed the jury’s unanimous and important verdict,” Cardi B’s legal team members Lisa Moore and Andrew Pequignot released their statement on the win. “which we believe was more than amply supported by the evidence presented in the case.”
While the trial was going on, the “Be Careful” artist said in court she became suicidal over Tasha’s claims.
Cardi B’s $4M Win Against Tasha K Is A Warning Shot To All Bloggers: Watch What You Say Or You Will Pay
Cardi B is celebrating the end of a years-long battle in court. She won her libel case against blogger Tasha K, who was proven to have spread lies about the rapper being a prostitute and having STIs. The massive win is a warning shot to bloggers to watch what you say… or pay a heavy price.
Cardi B Wins Case Against Tasha K, Is Awarded Millions In Damages
A Georgia judge awarded Cardi B $4 million dollars for damages, medical expenses, and attorney fees in a libel lawsuit against gossip blogger Tasha K. The jury found Tasha liable for all 3 claims against her, awarding The Grammy Award-winning rapper $1.2 million for libel plus $1.5 million in punitive damages and an additional $1.3 million in attorney fees.
Tasha K, born Latasha Kebe, was found guilty of two counts of slander, one count of libel, and one of invasion of privacy. Ironically, “Invasion of Privacy” is the name of Cardi B’s debut album which sold over 2 million units. In December 2019, it became the most-streamed album by a female rapper on Spotify.
Cardi sued Kebe in 2019 for spreading “malicious rumors” through her Unwine With Tasha K Youtube channel, saying that Cardi’s first child would have intellectual disabilities, that Cardi contracted STDs, and that the WAP rapper used cocaine. Cardi testified in court that the rumors made her feel “suicidal.”
According to the rapper’s lawsuit, many of Kebe’s videos about Cardi B still remain on her YouTube channel despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter in 2018.
Cardi B And Tasha K React On Twitter Following Judge’s Decision
Cardi B posted on Twitter following the news of her winning her case against blogger Tasha K.
Though Bardi is happy to have won the case, she expressed other emotions. “Why am I happy but sad at the same time?” she tweeted.
Many of the rapper’s fans in the comments expressed that Cardi has a right to enjoy her win because she deserves it and that Tasha K forced her to take it to court.
SOHH.com surveyed fans on social media as to whether they felt Tasha K “got what she deserved” for slandering Cardi B or whether the ruling was unfair as “gossip is just a part of being a celebrity.”
More than 70% or respondents polled agreed with the ruling, saying that Tasha K’s false statements about Cardi B having an STD were “over the top” and that the blogger got what she deserved. Only 30% of respondents disagreed with the ruling, saying that gossip is just a part of being a celebrity.
Cardi’s Win Sets Legal Precedent
Though Cardi successfully proved her case against Tasha K, the win comes with a warning to all bloggers – that what you say can cost you.
Libel – or publishing a false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation – is very rarely fought in Hip-Hop. But that could change after this new ruling in the Cardi B case.
That’s because this case has set a precedent. Typically, when a lawsuit is successfully fought, similar suits are brought to the courts due to the precedent that is set by the first case.
Bloggers and content publishers should be mindful to fact-check their content and be careful about making statements that might defame a public figure. Failure to do so could result in costly court fees as well as damages in amounts up to what the state laws or statutes allow.
Originally Written By: Kay-Ann Henry (1/25/22 at 8:00 pm)