Nicki Minaj’s legal bills pile up as former lawyers seek $295K over unpaid fees in ‘I Lied’ copyright case

Following Nicki Minaj’s public appearance with a Trump-endorsed Republican in New Hampshire on the poll day for Midterm elections, the rapper’s former legal team went back to court with a renewed request that she still hasn’t paid an outstanding legal bill of over $295,000, which stemmed from a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Lawyers from the law firm Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani filed their request for a default judgment on Tuesday, November 3, and a hearing for the request is set for November 16, The Wrap reported.

The firm said the lawsuit, which was filed back in March to recover the money, “has not been responded to in any way by [the rapper],” the outlet quoted, citing the court documents. And since 30 days have passed since the “Beauty and a Beat” singer was served, the firm has again requested the $295,605 as a default judgment.


Also Read: Nicki Minaj's $20 million Hidden Hills mansion nearly went to auction over a $503,318 debt before her last-minute payment

In 2024, the California-based firm represented Minaj in a copyright infringement lawsuit alleging that her song “I Lied,” released in 2021, copied the instrumentation and beat of Julius Johnson’s 2011 song “onmysleeve”.

The Wrap also reported, citing a declaration, that the firm initially billed the Trinidad and Tobago-born singer and her company Harajuku Barbie Music LLC $229,541.75 in March, which remained unpaid when it filed its complaint in March. Because it was unpaid, it added up to over $25,249.51 in late fees.

Minaj, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, has been in the spotlight for campaigning with him. The “Bang bang” singer traveled with him to the rally aboard Air Force One, where she also participated in a mock interview for the vacant role of White House press secretary. Trump had previously named Katie Zacharia to the position after Karoline Leavitt’s departure.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary!” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted a video of Minaj on X.


Later, she blasted New York Governor Kathy Hochul as an “evil woman” in a series of social media posts ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election, in which Hochul won against the Republican candidate Bruce A. Blakeman.

This is not the first major legal battle she has faced in recent times; in January, too, she avoided the forced auction of her $20 million Hidden Hills, California mansion by paying a $503,318 default judgment in full.