It started with a cease-and-desist letter in 2020 and ended—at least for a moment—with a staggering $71.5 million verdict that sent shockwaves through both the music and toy industries. We’re talking about the legal war between Atlanta hip-hop royalty Clifford "T.I." Harris and Tameka "Tiny" Harris and the billionaire toymaker MGA Entertainment.
The core of the fight? A line of dolls called L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls that the Harrises claimed were "brazen" ripoffs of their girl group, the OMG Girlz.
Honestly, the drama inside the courtroom was just as intense as anything you’d see on a reality TV reunion. You had billionaire CEOs calling rappers "extortionists" and Grammy winners talking about "cultural theft" and "audacity." It took three trials to get to that $71 million number. But if you think this is just a simple story of a big win for the little guy, you've gotta look closer. Since that September 2024 verdict, the legal "finality" has gotten a lot more complicated.
Why the OMG Girlz vs. MGA Lawsuit Was So Personal
To understand why T.I. and Tiny were willing to fight this for nearly five years, you have to look at the OMG Girlz. Tiny formed the group back in 2009. It featured her daughter, Zonnique "Star" Pullins, alongside Bahja "Beauty" Rodriguez and Breaunna "Babydoll" Womack. They weren't just a random pop group; they had a very specific, "edgy" aesthetic—bright neon hair, tutu skirts, and a mix of streetwear with high-fashion pop flare.
Then comes 2019. MGA Entertainment releases its L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls.
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The similarities were hard to ignore for fans. We're talking about dolls with the exact same bi-color hair (pink on one side, black on the other) and specific outfits that the girls had worn at major public events like the BET Awards. MGA didn't just use the "OMG" name; the Harrises argued they basically "cloned" the girls' entire "trade dress"—the legal term for a product's distinctive look and feel.
The Long Road to $71 Million: Three Trials and a Supreme Court Twist
This wasn't a one-and-done court case. It was a marathon.
- Trial One (Early 2023): This ended in a mistrial. Why? Because the judge had banned any talk of "cultural appropriation." But a witness testified that she stopped buying MGA dolls because she didn't want to support a company that "steals from African Americans." Boom—mistrial.
- Trial Two (May 2023): MGA actually won this one. The jury found no infringement. Usually, that’s where the story ends. But then, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in—sort of.
- The "Jack Daniel’s" Pivot: A different case involving a "Bad Spaniels" dog toy and Jack Daniel’s reached the Supreme Court. The ruling changed how "expressive works" (like dolls) are treated in trademark law. It basically said you can't just hide behind "artistic expression" if you're using someone else's brand to sell your product. This gave T.I. and Tiny the opening they needed for a third trial.
The September 2024 Verdict Breakdown
In September 2024, a federal jury in Santa Ana finally sided with the Harrises. They didn't just win; they cleaned up. The jury found that 15 of the dolls infringed on the group's trade dress and misappropriated their likeness.
- Compensatory Damages: $17.9 million (this was basically the "disgorgement of profits"—giving the Harrises the money MGA made from those specific dolls).
- Punitive Damages: $53.6 million (the "penalty" money meant to punish MGA for acting with "malice" or "fraud").
Total? Roughly $71.5 million.
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Tiny was outside the courthouse crying tears of joy, telling her followers on Instagram Live, "We did this for the culture." T.I. was a bit more blunt, calling MGA’s defense "bully tactics."
What Most People Get Wrong About the Win
If you stop reading there, you'd think T.I. and Tiny are sitting on a $71 million mountain of cash. Kinda, but not really.
By mid-2025, the case took another sharp turn. Judge James V. Selna, the same judge who presided over the trial, issued a ruling that slashed that massive payout. He argued there wasn't "clear and convincing evidence" that MGA intentionally acted with malice specifically against the OMG Girlz.
He basically said that while the dolls looked like the girls, the proof wasn't there to show the designers had a "desire to use their likeness" with the intent to harm them. He reduced the punitive damages—that $53 million chunk—down to almost nothing.
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This left the Harrises with a choice: accept a much smaller award (around $18 million) or go to a fourth trial to fight for the punitive damages all over any. It’s the legal equivalent of "double or nothing."
The Impact on "Trade Dress" and Celebrity Likeness
This case is a massive deal for anyone in the creative space. For a long time, toymakers and clothing brands have walked a fine line, "referencing" pop culture without paying for it.
The MGA case proves that "trade dress" isn't just for the shape of a Coca-Cola bottle. It can apply to a person's—or a group's—curated aesthetic. If you're an influencer, a musician, or a designer, this case is your blueprint for protecting your "vibe."
Key Takeaways for Creators and Brands
If you’re building a brand, you've got to be proactive. Here’s what this saga teaches us:
- Document Everything: The OMG Girlz won because they had photos of themselves in specific outfits at specific events that perfectly matched the dolls.
- Trade Dress is Real: Don't just trademark your logo. Think about your color palettes, your "signature" style elements, and even your packaging.
- The "Rogers Test" is Weakening: Companies used to be able to say, "It's art!" to get away with using celebrity likenesses. After the 2023 Supreme Court shift, that defense is much harder to use if the "art" is actually a commercial product.
- Be Prepared for the Long Game: MGA founder Isaac Larian is a billionaire who doesn't like losing. This case has survived three trials and is still being litigated in 2026. Legal battles with giants require deep pockets and even deeper patience.
The $71 million figure is the one that makes the headlines, but the real victory for the Harrises was the jury’s unanimous recognition that their "style" was something MGA wasn't allowed to take for free. Whether they end up with $71 million or $18 million, the precedent is set: the "culture" isn't just for the taking.
For now, keep an eye on the court dockets. As of early 2026, the battle over those punitive damages is still the final hurdle in one of the most significant intellectual property cases in modern entertainment history. If you're a creator, you might want to start thinking about your own "trade dress" before someone else decides to put it in a box and sell it for $20.