A jury in Los Angeles found rapper Soulja Boy liable for sexual battery and assault, ordering him to pay $4 million to a woman who claimed he became violent as their professional relationship evolved into a romantic one, according to her attorney. The verdict, reported by The Associated Press, followed a nearly monthlong trial in which the woman testified that she started as Soulja Boy’s assistant.
She accused him of subjecting her to physical and sexual abuse over a two-year period. Soulja Boy, known for hits like “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” “Kiss Me Thru the Phone,” and “Pretty Boy Swag,” denied the allegations during the trial. “Our client is pleased with and vindicated by the verdict,” said Neama Rahmani, the woman’s attorney, who did not disclose her name. “This verdict is just the beginning of justice for Soulja Boy’s victims and a reckoning for the entire music industry.”
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After the verdict, Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, expressed his frustration with the judicial process, stating, “I believe this entire process has been tainted by a system that is not designed to protect the rights of the accused. I want to make it clear that I am innocent.”
The woman claimed she started working for Soulja Boy in 2018 as his personal assistant, with an agreement to receive $500 a week for living with him and assisting him with various tasks, including cooking, cleaning, and managing his travel. However, she stated that she was never paid. She testified that their relationship quickly turned violent, detailing various instances of physical and sexual abuse, including being raped multiple times in a day and suffering brutal attacks that left her unconscious. She also reported threats to her life and being confined to a locked room for days.
During her testimony, she recounted significant weight loss and a sense of dehumanization, saying, “I didn’t even feel human anymore. I felt like an animal.” In contrast, Soulja Boy denied any violent behavior and claimed he never formally hired her as an assistant. His lawyer, Rickey Ivie, suggested that the woman stayed at his home to assist with cannabis-related tasks, without an agreed-upon salary.
The jury found Soulja Boy liable for various charges, including assault, sexual battery, and emotional distress, along with a ruling of nonpayment of wages, though they did not find him liable for false imprisonment. Additionally, they awarded the woman $250,000 in punitive damages. Following the verdict, Ivie announced plans to appeal, stating, “We maintain that the evidence does not support the verdict… Mr. Way fully intends to pursue his post-trial remedies.”
This ruling follows a 2018 lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Kayla Myers, who accused him of physically assaulting her during a party. In 2023, a jury found him liable in her case and ordered him to pay her $471,800. Soulja Boy is also facing another lawsuit from former girlfriend Nia Riley, who has accused him of both physical and sexual assault, including claims from 2021 that he kicked her while she was pregnant, leading to a miscarriage.
After the recent verdict, Soulja Boy took to Instagram Live to voice his thoughts to his fans about the situation and the financial penalties he faces, which now total $4.5 million, including punitive damages.
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