Cardi B’s Former Manager Sues Rapper for $10 Million

Cardi B’s former manager is suing the rapper for breach of contract. Klenord “Shaft” Raphael filed the $10 million lawsuit on Thursday in U.S. district court, Variety reports. Quality Control’s Kevin Lee and Pierre Thomas, and publicist/stylist Patientce Foster are also named as defendants in the complaint.

In late March, prior to the April 6 release of Cardi B’s debut album Invasion of Privacy, the rapper parted ways with Raphael and signed with Solid Foundation, the management division of Quality Control that also manages her fiancé Offset’s group Migos. Raphael and his label KSR and management company WorldStar Marketing Group are plaintiffs in the complaint. Raphael claims that Cardi’s new management deal is not valid due to her pre-existing contract with his company.

In the complaint via Variety, Raphael alleges that “with actual knowledge of Cardi B’s exclusive management agreement with WorldStar, defendants Foster, QC, Lee, and Thomas, without justification, intentionally interfered with that agreement, thereby depriving WorldStar of the substantial income, benefits, and advantages it was entitled to receive under that agreement.”

Raphael is suing for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, declaratory judgment and defamation. He’s seeking damages “not less than $10,000,000.”

A representative for Cardi B did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.

“Since discovering Cardi B in 2015, Shaft has played an integral role in developing her music career and public image,” a rep for Raphael said in a statement to Variety. “While he is proud of their successful collaborations as she evolved from Instagram influencer to music megastar, Shaft is disappointed by her actions to freeze him out of her career, which are detailed in the complaint. Shaft is confident that his lawsuit will validate his conduct and substantiate his legal claims.”