July 30, 2025
Mary J. Blige is firing back at Misa Hylton’s $5 million lawsuit over rapper Vado, which the R&B icon says is just a ploy to force a settlement out of her.
The Grammy-winning singer’s legal team issued a scathing first response on July 28, calling Hylton’s lawsuit “utterly meritless” and asking the judge to dismiss the “frivolous” case, since her former friend filed the suit after “fabricating allegations,” All Hip Hop reported.
“Plaintiffs and their counsel appear to enjoy fabricating accusations that will be discussed in the press and on social media for the purposes of harassing Defendants and trying to coerce a favorable settlement,” Blige’s lawyer, Sarah M. Matz, said.
In addition to asking for the case to be thrown out, Blige is seeking sanctions, including financial and legal penalties, against Hylton and her attorney, Nicholas Ramcharitar, for filing the lawsuit.
“Plaintiffs and their counsel had significant time to investigate these issues, not only before filing but also after defendants’ counsel sent a lengthy letter identifying with granular specificity why each of their claims is baseless,” said Blige’s lawyers, which includes veteran music litigator Lisa F. Moore. “Yet, plaintiffs and their counsel chose not to withdraw the Complaint and instead appear to be doubling down.”
In the lawsuit, filed in April, the fashion stylist and longtime friend of Blige accused the singer of interfering with rapper Vado’s management deal with her company, M.I.S.A. Management. Hylton claimed that after Vado signed a recording contract with Blige’s Beautiful Life Productions in October 2023, Blige began withholding his completed album and pressuring him to sever ties with Hylton, allegedly to block the 20% cut Hylton was contractually owed from his earnings.
In her response, Blige argues that M.I.S.A. Management “does not exist as a legal entity” and therefore has no legal standing to file a lawsuit in New York.
“It is stunning that Plaintiffs and their counsel attempt to assert claims on behalf of this non-existent entity,” Matz said.
The motion further asserts that Hylton is not a party to Vado’s contract with Beautiful Life Productions, and therefore has no right to enforce it or seek damages. Blige also claims that Vado failed to follow necessary procedures before filing the suit, including giving proper notice or pursuing mediation.
“Vado’s claims fare no better. Asserting a breach of contract claim against Blige individually is by itself sanctionable,” Matz said. “Blige is not a party to Vado’s recording agreement nor has any other basis been pled against Blige, making it clear she was included solely for purposes of harassment.”
Blige’s attorneys are slamming Hylton’s lawsuit as a publicity stunt designed to pressure a settlement, arguing it was filed despite prior warnings that the claims lacked legal merit. Blige is asking the court to dismiss the case with prejudice and to impose financial penalties, including covering her attorney’s fees, on Hylton, Vado, and their legal team.
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