Jury orders Soulja Boy to pay $4 million in blunt roller's sexual battery lawsuit
The 'Crank That' rapper vowed to appeal the verdict, which includes an additional $250,000 in punitive damages. Plaintiff's lawyers had asked for $4 million in punitive.
SANTA MONICA — A jury on Thursday ordered rapper DeAndre Cortez “Soulja Boy” Way to pay $4.25 million to a woman who said he abused and sexually assaulted her while she lived in his home as a marijuana blunt roller and personal assistant.
The verdict in Los Angeles County Superior Court includes $250,000 in punitive damages. The jury of five men and seven women found Way liable for sexual battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual harassment, gender violence and two employment-related claims after a three-week trial that focused on approximately 18 months the woman spent with Way between January 2019 and August 2020.
Jurors did not find Way liable for false imprisonment. The woman’s lawyers had asked for $73.5 million in compensatory damages, then asked for $4 million in punitive to match the approximately $4 million the jury awarded in compensatory.
An older man who served on the jury told reporters jurors agreed that “c’mon, he beat the living daylights out of her. No question about that.” But they debated the woman’s role as “the poor victim” or someone“actually participating in a kind of entourage life.”
“This guy treated her like dirt, and he deserves the verdict, but that’s what kept the lid on,” the juror said.
A woman who served on the jury told reporters they believed Way “might have been lying about some certain things.” As she left the courthouse, she told the plaintiff, “I’m so sorry all of that happened to you.”
The plaintiff sued under the pseudonym Jane Doe but was addressed by her true name in court. She told reporters on Thursday she hopes the verdict “wakes everyone up and stops them from just belittling people trying to help their dreams.”
“He’s not the only one doing stuff like this,” she said.
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Way told reporters the jury got it wrong.
“I firmly believe that the decision made in court was not based on facts or substantial evidence, but rather on factors that were outside of my control,” 34-year-old Way said in a written statement he read aloud outside the courthouse. “The truth was overshadowed by the involvement of individuals such as the jury who were not present during the events in question, and I feel that the system allowed external influences to shape the outcome.”
He also said the woman’s anonymity “raises serious concerns about fairness.”
“Keeping these individuals anonymous while I’m forced to face public scrutiny creates an unequal playing field. I believe this entire process has been tainted by a system that is not designed to protect the rights of the accused,” Way said.
Way said he wants “to make it clear that I’m innocent” and “this case was never about justice.”
“It was about money and personal gain, and I will not let that stand. I am committed to filing an appeal and fighting for the truth to be revealed. I will continue to stand by my decision and believe that I did not commit the crimes I’m accused of,” Way said.
Way is not charged with a crime, but he’s scheduled for another trial in a similar lawsuit from a former girlfriend who claims years of abuse. In 2023, a jury ordered him to pay a woman $471,900, including $236,000 in punitive damages in another assault and unlawful imprisonment lawsuit.
Neama Rahmani, president of the plaintiff’s firm West Coast Trial Lawyers, told reporters the verdict is “a wake up call for the entire music industry.”
“The days of physically and sexually abusing your employees? Those days are over,” Rahmani said.
Lawyers at Rahmani’s firm represent another woman suing Way for abuse. They also represent former employees of singer and rapper Lizzo in a sexual harassment lawsuit, and they represent rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s former photographer Emilio Garcia in a sexual harassment and unpaid wages lawsuit.
Rahmani said Way’s lawyers offered a “low-ball” settlement of $100,000 shortly before trial. He said he wanted $2 million to settle.
Civil judgments in California stand for 10 years and can be renewed for another 10 years, so Rahamni said they’ll pursue Way “for the next 20 years” if he doesn’t pay.
“We’re gonna be going after Way and his assets, whether he’s on tour, whether he’s doing TikTok live,” Rahamni said.
Way’s lawyers at Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs declined to speak to reporters after the verdict.
Jurors credit woman’s testimony, photos
Way, who became famous in 2007 for his “Crank That” song, testified he never sexually assaulted or beat the woman. He also denied formally employing her as an assistant for $500 a week as she claimed. Instead, he said he allowed her to live at his $25,000-a-month rental home in Malibu for free in exchange for her blunt-rolling services, then invited her to live with him at another home in Bell Canyon because of their intimate relationship.
The woman, however, had text messages and photos that documented her beatings and corroborated her testimony. In August 2020, she texted photos of her bruises to Way’s manager, Michael “M.I.A.M.I Mike” Sykes, and she testified she told him on the phone Way had been hitting her. Sykes texted back, “That is insane. I’m so sorry this happened to you,” but he denied in testimony that the woman told him Way assaulted her.
Way’s lawyer Rickey Ivie told jurors the photos “show bruises, but they don’t establish that Mr. Way caused the bruises.” The photos are undated, and the woman said they were taken in July. Ivie noted that at the time, she was seeing another rapper, Smokepurpp.
The woman juror who spoke with reporters said she found the photos persuasive, and the plaintiff “had so much information” in her testimony.
Ivie said the plaintiff’s claim that she and Way had a verbal contract to pay her $500 a week is refuted by the fact that “industry standard” for people working with rappers is free room and board only. The woman worked for rapper Lil Twist for eight years and testified he paid her $200 a week. She also worked for rapper Mally Mall and testified he gave her free room and board but money only occasionally.
“Why would Mr. Wayne pay her $500 a week? And that’s not even the industry standard. Makes no sense,” Ivie said in his closing argument on Monday.
Ivie told jurors the woman had many opportunities to report Way or leave his home, and she didn’t do so.
“Her story has evolved over time,” Ivie said. Ivie said the woman’s testimony can’t be trusted because “it’s based on her inconsistencies and her fabricated evidence.”
The woman juror said the culture of personal assistants in the rap industry “was eye opening.” The older man said the industry lifestyle led to division in the jury room “between absolute, what I would call slightly knee jerk condemnation of him, and knee jerk, sense of her as a victim.”
“And those of us who saw it — and I include myself — as … a little bit grayer, at the end of the day, the verdict was the right one,” he said.
‘If you do believe her, give her everything’
Plaintiff’s lawyer Ronald Zambrano’s closing argument focused in part on Way’s “lack of accountability.”
Zambrano told jurors that Way has a 32-city tour scheduled this year that he’ll get to go on while the woman still suffers. He also performed at SeaWorld in San Diego last weekend.
“Mr. Way has owned up to nothing in this case. Not one text message. Not one photograph,” Zambrano said.
Zambrano said Way’s “year of weekly acting classes paid off” when he testified, as did his use of “fake glasses” he wore every day of trial despite not needing prescription glasses.
“He did a masterclass performance for you,” Zambrano told jurors. “I was concerned that the act was going to work, but he wasn’t prepared for cross. He wasn’t prepared to go off script.”
Zambrano said Way’s true self is seen in his deposition video and in the texts he sent the woman.
“That’s the guy. The guy in the text message, ‘Hope you die slow.’ That’s the guy. ‘I should have killed your ass.’ That’s the guy,” Zambrano said.
Zambrano said he hopes jurors “don’t fall for that act.”
“That you don’t fall for the man that’s been sitting over there with fake glasses on trying to convince you he’s incapable of the bruises you’ve seen, of the cuts you've seen, of the text messages that he sent but don’t really mean,” Zambrano said.
Zambrano suggested jurors award $73.5 million, including $4.4 million for past emotional harm, $31.6 million for future harm and $37.5 million for sexual battery.
“If you don’t believe my client, don’t give her a dollar,” Zambrano said. “After all this, do not give her $1. But if you do believe her, give her everything.”
The jury’s verdict addressed nine claims:
Assault: $760,000, including $460,000 for future harm and $300,000 for past harm
Sexual battery: $1.5 million, including $1 million for future harm and $500,000 for past
Gender violence: $300,000
False imprisonment: not liable
Intentional infliction of emotional distress: $1.325 million, including $1 million for future harm and $325,000 for past
Sexual harassment / hostile work environment: $100,000
Nonpayment of wages: $15,000
Constructive discharge: not liable
Failure to provide wage statements: $2,650
Jurors answered 47 questions on the verdict form, including whether the woman failed to take necessary steps to mitigate the harm and if so, should her damages be reduced. The jury didn’t conclude she did, but polling revealed a couple who voted against the majority on some claims.
‘Crank That’ royalties remain a mystery
Jurors deliberated Tuesday before reaching a verdict on liability and compensatory damages on Wednesday. Judge Mark Epstein’s judicial assistant read it aloud Thursday morning, then jurors decided punitive damages in the afternoon.
First, they heard testimony from Way about his assets, including his new skin care line, a cologne he said earned him $50,000 and a former marijuana strain that he said earned him $30,000 to $40,000. He also estimated he was paid $50,000 to perform at the Crypto Ball for President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
But Way’s most famous asset remains a financial mystery: He said he doesn’t know the details of the royalties he receives for “Crank That,” which he said is owned by Interscope Records.
“I’m not sure the percentage, but it’s an amount. It’s a percentage. I’m not sure the exact percentage,” Way said. “I’d have to look it up.”
Zambrano asked about Way’s previously saying he’s made $15 million to $20 million off “Crank That.” Way said he isn’t sure, nor could he estimate his monthly revenue from the song. He also said he can’t estimate how much he’s made from his 2021 song “She Make It Clap,” nor can he estimate how much in royalties he made total in 2024.
“I’m pretty sure I hear your music when I go to a baseball game. You make royalties when it’s played at the stadiums. Is that right?” Zambrano asked.
“Right,” Way answered.
“OK. So how much do you make if it’s played in a stadium? Do you have any idea?” Zambrano asked.
“No,” Way answered.
Asked about money from online streaming, Way said he’s made “probably like $18,000” this year.
“You’ve only made $18,000 this year?” Zambrano asked.
“Yeah, because it takes a while for the money to, like, produce from the streams,” Way answered.
Way said his bank account “fluctuates” and the trial “is taking a lot of my money.”
“As far as lawyer bills and stuff like that. This whole trial’s been real costly,” he testified.
Way has millions of followers on social media, and he said he once made $17,000 from going live on TikTok but typically earns only $300 to $400. He estimated he’s earned $100,000 on TikTok in the last two years.
Zambrano also asked Way about him saying he’d been offered $140 million for a video game system he designed. Way said it “didn’t go through.” Nintendo sent a cease and desist letter, “so I had to stop that first venture.”
Way laughed when Zambrano asked if he’s worth $100 million.
“Look, I don’t want to get y’all confused here in this courtroom,” he said.
Way testified he currently rents a home for $25,000. He owns five cars, but he said he doesn’t “have access to multimillions.”
“You know, like, I work. I’m a worker. I make money from shows and doing concerts and selling merch and working and doing different things like that,” Way said.
Way’s lawyer Ayang Inyan began his examination by asking about Way’s obligations as a father. Way testified he has two children ages 1 and 2 and is the primary provider. He also testified he doesn’t have health insurance.
Inyan also asked how the claims against Way have affected his already fluctuating income.
Way testified he lost “a lot of shows” because of the lawsuit, including a gig at Coachella this year.
“That would have covered a lot of my expenses, but that was canceled due to the accusations,” he said. “This, this entire case, this entire trial, these accusations definitely affect the amount of income that I’m able to generate.”
In a brief closing argument, Zambrano said $4 million in punitive is a fair punishment for Way “truly reprehensible conduct.”
Inyan told jurors their $4 million compensatory verdict has already sent a message to Way, who has other obligations including his children and living expenses.
“The message has been sent in terms of holding Mr. Way accountable,” Inyan said. He said $4 million in punitive damages could bankrupt Way.
Jurors weren’t unanimous on punitive damages: Polling revealed that one wanted $100,000 and another wanted $1 million, while 10 wanted $250,000.
Afterward, the plaintiff, who’s 37 years old, told reporters she’s grateful for the jury and her attorneys. She said she has a couple artists she could work with now, but she doesn’t want to do anything without a written contract. Right now, she’s focused on a chicken farm she’s operating that includes a baby chick named Chicki Minaj.
“I don’t want to be anybody’s assistant for a while,” she said.
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'That is insane': Jury sees texts from Soulja Boy's manager to woman suing for assault
SANTA MONICA — Nearly two years after she moved into his home in Malibu, a woman now suing rapper DeAndre Cortez “Soulja Boy” Way for assault and sexual …
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