James Johnson
Plaintiff claims physical and emotional distress in new lawsuit, while Cardi B’s legal team dismisses it as a “transparent and pitiful attempted financial shakedown.”
Las Vegas, NV — Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B is facing a civil lawsuit for alleged assault, battery, and negligence following a viral microphone-throwing incident that occurred during her 2023 performance at Drai’s Beachclub in Las Vegas.
The suit, filed by an individual identified as Jane Doe, alleges that Cardi B (born Belcalis Almanzar) struck her with a microphone after the plaintiff splashed a small amount of water in the rapper’s direction—a gesture she claims was encouraged by Cardi herself. According to Doe’s legal complaint, the rapper had, moments earlier, prompted the audience to throw water on her due to the high temperatures during her set, exclaiming, “That s— feels good. Put that s— in my p—y.”
Videos from the performance, which quickly went viral, show Cardi B performing her hit “Bodak Yellow” when a drink was flung toward the stage. Cardi, visibly startled, responded by locating the individual and hurling her microphone into the crowd. Additional footage appeared to confirm that the microphone struck someone, prompting security personnel to intervene briefly before the concert resumed.
Doe claims she was acting in line with the “environment created by Cardi B’s express words and conduct,” along with many other attendees who participated in the water splashing. However, she says she was met with an aggressive and disproportionate response. The suit claims that Cardi “suddenly and forcefully threw her microphone directly at plaintiff” without any warning, causing her “physical pain, emotional distress, reputational damage, embarrassment, and harassment from both media and members of the public.”
The plaintiff’s emotional distress, the complaint adds, was further “exacerbated” when the microphone used in the incident was later auctioned for nearly $100,000—an act she suggests trivialized her trauma.
In addition to Cardi B, the lawsuit targets Drai’s Beachclub for alleged negligence. Doe argues that the venue was aware of the rapper’s prior behavior, citing a separate altercation in which Cardi allegedly threw a microphone at a DJ at the same location. This, the suit claims, should have alerted the venue to the potential risk of another violent outburst.
Cardi B’s attorney, Drew Findling, issued a strong rebuttal to the lawsuit. In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Findling described the legal action as “a transparent and pitiful attempted financial shakedown,” emphasizing that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Clark County District Attorney’s Office had already closed the matter due to insufficient evidence. “Apparently the opportunity to try to make money off of a celebrity was too much for some willing law firm to pass up,” he added.
However, Doe insists the incident had a serious and lasting impact. “What has been written off as a joke by many people is actually a traumatic experience that has significantly impacted my well-being and quality of life,” she said in a statement. “I am seeking justice in the hopes of holding Cardi B accountable for her misdeeds, as no celebrity is above the law.”
The legal battle now heads to civil court, reigniting public debate around celebrity accountability, fan behavior, and the blurred lines of artist-audience interaction during live performances.
