Nicki Minaj is being sued by a former tour employee for emotional distress and assault

A former tour worker is suing Nicki Minaj for assault, abuse, and “intentional infliction of emotional distress” after she allegedly struck him several times after a performance in Detroit in April 2023.

Brandon Garrett claims that Minaj (real name Onika Maraj) physically assaulted him during a backstage altercation at the Little Caesars Arena on April 21 last year while he was serving as the rapper’s day-to-day manager on the Pink Friday 2 tour, according to documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday and obtained by Billboard.

Garret alleges in the lawsuit that he was called backstage to Minaj’s dressing room that day and that she confronted him about having Luke Montgomery, the hospitality manager for the tour, pick up Minaj’s prescriptions in his place since he was busy with other tour duties.

According to Billboard, the lawsuit states that “Ms. Deb Antney, the former manager, inquired as to why Mr. Montgomery was picking up prescriptions on behalf of Defendant Maraj.”

“Plaintiff replied that he had previously had Mr. Montgomery pick up a prescription because Defendant Maraj needed it right away, but since one of Plaintiff’s job responsibilities was helping Defendant Maraj dress during performances, Plaintiff was busy at the venue with Defendant Maraj in the quick-change room during a performance.”

“Are you fucking crazy having him pick up my prescription?” Garrett says Minaj got “visibly upset” and “angrily screamed” at him. My husband would knock your fucking teeth out if he were here, and you have gone completely insane. You’re a walking corpse. I’ll make sure you never become somebody since you messed up your entire life.

Minaj then reportedly “started yelling” at Montgomery, requesting information regarding the type of medication he picked up and when, according to the lawsuit. Minaj allegedly “screamed” at Montgomery to “search through his phone until he finds it” when he was unable to recall.

According to the lawsuit, Minaj “asked to see Mr. Montgomery’s cell phone to read the last text message between Plaintiff and Mr. Montgomery” after neither Garrett nor Montgomery could respond to her inquiries. Garrett alleges that Minaj “got very close to his face” while yelling when Montgomery reportedly provided his cell phone for her to read.

According to the lawsuit, 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” as a result of the situation getting worse. Before the artist reportedly “struck Plaintiff on his right wrist, knocking the documents in Plaintiff’s hand onto the floor,” Garrett says a number of Minaj’s security team members “swarmed in close” to them both.

Garrett says he “ran to the nearest restroom and locked himself inside in hours” when the rapper told him to leave the room after the confrontation, and he called his fiancé to let him know what had transpired.

The lawsuit states, “At this point, Plaintiff’s face was sore and his wrist was throbbing, but he stayed in the restroom because he was terrified and feared for his safety.”

Garrett was notified the next day that Antney had stated that he “would not be riding the bus from Detroit to Chicago.” “Because he feared for his safety and did not know if his belongings had been removed or tampered with,” the lawsuit claims, Garrett ultimately flew to Chicago and called the Chicago Police Department to submit a police report and seek a police escort back to his hotel.

Garett reportedly stayed at his hotel “for the next couple day, because he was fearful and traumatized” following the confrontation. Later, he took a plane back to Detroit to submit an official police complaint.