Nicki Minaj’s Lawyers Seek to Withdraw From $275,000 Lawsuit

A lawsuit seeking more than $275,000 over expenses tied to Nicki Minaj’s Jingle Ball appearances and Pink Friday 2promotional events is on hold after the rapper’s legal team asked the court for permission to withdraw. The request has not yet been granted. Before addressing the amount that production company 24/7 Productions says remains unpaid, the judge must determine who will continue to represent Minaj and her company, Pink Friday Productions LLC.

On October 23, the law firm Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever filed a motion to withdraw on behalf of Minaj and Pink Friday Productions. Attorney Bruce W. Bieber said disagreements over litigation strategy and a breakdown in communication had left the attorney-client relationship “irretrievably broken down.” He wrote that continued representation was “no longer feasible or appropriate.” The filing did not disclose the details of the disagreements.

On October 27, New York Supreme Court Justice Leslie Stroth stayed all proceedings while considering the firm’s request. Under the schedule set out in the case, opposing papers are due by November 12, and reply papers may be filed by November 23. A hearing on the withdrawal request is scheduled for December 1. If the firm is permitted to withdraw, the stay could remain in effect for at least 30 days to give the defendants time to find new counsel.

The pause does not mean the court has decided which side is right in the financial dispute. It is a procedural step concerning legal representation. When attorneys believe they can no longer work effectively with a client, they must ask the court for permission to withdraw. The court must also ensure that the parties have an opportunity to secure new counsel before the case moves forward.

Court filings also indicate that attempts to notify Minaj directly about the withdrawal request have encountered difficulties. According to details from the documents reported in the media, a process server went to the building where the rapper is said to own a roughly $10 million penthouse, but a concierge said she was not there. Her husband, Kenneth Petty, was reportedly present. However, the details of that exchange have not been independently verified, and they do not explain why Minaj did not receive the papers. As of November 5, neither Minaj nor 24/7 Productions had publicly responded to the withdrawal request.

The lawsuit began on March 23, when 24/7 Productions filed a complaint in New York County Supreme Court. The company says it provided planning, staffing, sound, lighting, rigging, transportation and logistics services for Minaj’s December 2023 Jingle Ball appearances and events promoting Pink Friday 2. According to the company, it advanced more than $255,000 in related expenses and is seeking a total of $275,149.62, plus interest and legal costs.

The claim was initially described as exceeding $200,000, but subsequent accounts of the court filings put the precise amount at $275,149.62. 24/7 Productions says it paid expenses upfront to support the events but was not fully reimbursed. Minaj and her company dispute that account, arguing that the expenses were approved and that Pink Friday Productions paid the relevant bills.

Some of the hotel costs cited in the court filings have drawn additional attention. According to documents reported in the media, the bill at The Langham in New York totaled $103,730. It included a suite listed at $9,500 per night for seven nights. A separate stay at the Four Seasons was listed at $25,197.85. These are expenses cited by 24/7 Productions in support of its claims; whether they were paid or reimbursed remains disputed.

24/7 Productions also claims that Pink Friday Productions received about $650,000 in connection with the Jingle Ball dates. The production company argues that it covered the event costs but was not reimbursed as agreed. Minaj’s side countered in a July 31 filing that the debt had already been paid. The case therefore involves more than whether invoices exist: the court will also need to consider the parties’ agreement, how expenses were allocated and what evidence there is of payment.

One key legal question is whether Minaj can be held personally responsible for obligations that 24/7 Productions says were incurred by Pink Friday Productions. In a July motion seeking to dismiss part of the case, Bieber argued that the production company—not Minaj individually—had contracted for 24/7’s services. He described the personal claim against the rapper as “an ill-advised attempt to sue a famous deep-pocket.”

That argument rests on the distinction between a limited liability company and its owner. Owning a company does not automatically make someone personally responsible for all of its debts. Whether Minaj can be sued as an individual will depend on the filings, contracts and legal arguments presented by both sides. The court has not yet resolved the issue or determined what, if anything, remains unpaid.

The December 1 hearing will focus on the law firm’s request to withdraw, not on a final ruling over the $275,149.62 claim. If the judge grants the request, Minaj and Pink Friday Productions will have time to find replacement counsel before the dispute continues. The court may then consider the questions surrounding the expenses, the payment agreement and each defendant’s potential liability.

The dispute comes as Minaj continues a long and successful career in music. Born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and Tobago, she moved to New York as a child and studied acting before focusing on rap. After releasing a series of mixtapes, she drew attention for her forceful delivery, vocal versatility and colorful stage persona. Her debut album, Pink Friday, topped the Billboard 200 in the United States and helped turn her from a rising hip-hop artist into a mainstream star.

In the years that followed, Minaj released albums including The Pinkprint, Queen and Pink Friday 2, while appearing on successful tracks by other artists. Her hits include “Super Bass,” “Starships” and “Anaconda,” and she has collaborated with major names such as Drake and Lil Wayne. Minaj has built a large and devoted fan base, though her outspoken comments and public disagreements with other artists have also kept her in the headlines.

Released in 2023, Pink Friday 2 was Minaj’s fifth studio album and followed the project that helped establish her name. Promotional events for the album, including those in New York, are among the services 24/7 Productions says it provided. The tour supporting the album further demonstrated Minaj’s commercial appeal, but large-scale performances also involve extensive logistics and substantial expenses. The current lawsuit will need to establish what the parties agreed to and how those costs were handled.

Minaj’s personal life has also attracted public attention. She married Kenneth Petty in 2019, and they have a son, born in 2020. Minaj tends to keep much of her family life private, though she occasionally shares moments involving her child on social media. Petty had faced legal issues before their marriage, which made their relationship a subject of public debate. Those matters, however, are not directly relevant to the dispute with 24/7 Productions and should not be treated as evidence of anyone’s responsibility in the current case.

Over the course of her career, Minaj has faced several public controversies, ranging from disagreements with other rappers to strong reactions on social media to issues in the entertainment industry. She has also been involved in legal disputes relating to music and professional activity, each with its own facts and filings. These episodes form part of her often-discussed public profile, but they do not replace the need to assess each claim on its own evidence.

For now, the court record shows that Minaj’s lawyers have asked to withdraw, the lawsuit has been paused and a hearing is scheduled for December 1. The larger questions—whether 24/7 Productions has been reimbursed, what amount is actually owed and whether Minaj can be held personally liable—remain unresolved. The upcoming hearing will determine who represents the defendants next; the financial dispute will have to wait for the following stages of the case.