Nicki Minaj Sued for Assault and Battery by Former Tour Manager

Mar. 15, 2025

Nicki Minaj in March 2024.Photo:Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation

Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation

The alleged incident took place backstage at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on April 21, 2024, after Minaj’s concert had ended, the outlets report.

Attorneys for Garrett claim in the complaint that the tour manager was on his way to the arena when Minaj’s head of security, Larry Dathan, texted him, asking him to speak with Minaj (real name Onika Maraj) in her dressing room.

Garrett alleges that eight people from Minaj’s staff were present in the dressing room, including another employee named Luke Montgomery. He claims Minaj began to complain about some of the staff members “not knowing what they are supposed to do, and who reports to who,” when she turned her attention to Montgomery, asking what his position was, according to the court documents, per the outlets.

Nicki Minaj in Los Angeles in March 2024.Christopher Victorio/Shutterstock

Christopher Victorio/Shutterstock

Garrett claims that he told Minaj that he asked Montgomery to pick up the prescriptions because he was busy with tour responsibilities, including assisting Minaj with costume changes during her concerts.

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In the complaint, Garrett alleges that Minaj then became “visibly upset” and “angrily screamed” at him, telling him: “Are you f—ing crazy having him pick up my prescription? You have lost your f—ing mind and ifmy husband [Kenneth Petty] were here, he would knock out your f—ing teeth. You’re a dead man walking. You just f—ed up your whole life, and you will never be anyone, I’ll make sure of it.”

Minaj also allegedly yelled at Montgomery, and asked him to look through his phone to find the exact medications that he had picked up for her, the outlets reported, citing the documents. Garrett claims that Minaj then turned her attention back to Garrett and “got very close to his face.”

“At this point, [Minaj] open-handedly struck [Garrett] on the right side of his face, causing his head to swing backwards as his hat flew off his head,” the complaint states, perVariety.Attorneys for Garrett also state that he was hit in his right wrist, leaving it “throbbing.”

Nicki Minaj in New York City in March 2024.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Attorneys for Garrett write in the complaint that the former manager locked himself in a bathroom for several hours after the incident, and he received a text message telling him he was not being asked to come with Minaj on the next tour stop.

The former manager eventually filed an official police report in Detroit, and his attorneys are now asking for punitive and exemplary damages as well as general damages.

source: people.com