With her rapper In a California federal courtroom, Tamika “Tiny” Harris, who was watching her husband T.I. from the gallery, took the witness stand. She stoically denied extortion as she filed a lawsuit against MGA Entertainment, accusing it of stealing the name, vibrant hair and unique wardrobe of the couple’s teen pop group OMG Girlz to create MGA’s wildly popular “LOL Surprise! OMG” dolls.
“I didn’t come here for the money. I live a very comfortable life, my husband and I. We have a very good life,” Tinney testified as the first witness called in the trial that began Tuesday in Santa Ana. “It’s more about the girls. I feel like the girls built a brand, and they work hard for it.”
Tenney, a member of the 1990s R&B band Xscape and a songwriter known for the TLC hit “No Scrubs,” said she believes the three members of the OMG Girlz — her daughter Zonnique “Star” Pullins, Bahja “Beauty” Rodriguez and Breunna “Babydoll” Womack — deserve compensation from MGA and will participate in any potential lawsuit. “I don’t think it’s right for a big company to come in and take something they built and not have them be a part of it,” she testified, referring to MGA.
Tiny, 49, and T.I., 43, began their intellectual property battle with MGA in December 2020 when they sent a letter demanding that the toy company stop distributing its OMG dolls over alleged infringement. MGA responded days later with a lawsuit seeking a court ruling that MGA owns the name and likeness of its dolls. T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, and Tiny responded to that lawsuit with their own cross-complaints for trade dress infringement. The initial trial ended in a mistrial in January 2023. The couple lost a second trial that was overturned last year due to a change in the law.
MGA, for its part, denies infringing on the OMG Girls’ name and image. In his opening statement, MGA attorney Paul Loh said MGA had been making Bratz and Moxy Girls dolls with brightly colored hair and rock star hairstyles long before the OMG Girls became famous. He also showed jurors photos of singers Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Cyndi Lauper, saying bright hair and outfits were popular styles.
“This is nothing more than a money grab and a family scam,” Loh previously told the jury, prompting Tenney to deny the allegation on Wednesday. In her testimony, Tenney said it was true that she had invested money in OMG Girlz, but she was adamant that her lawsuit was not an attempt to get her money back.
“I wasn’t craving money. I just wanted them to win,” she testified when Luo asked her in cross-examination if it was true she spent $1 million on the girl group. “I just wanted them to win.”
Loh also asked Tiny whether it was true that her side had narrowed its case from 31 alleged dolls to seven or nine. Her attorney, John Keevil, said in his opening statement Tuesday that his clients wanted the jury to focus on a smaller number of specific dolls to be more “conservative” and “efficient in using your time.” He said the more targeted group of alleged dolls had “very close associations” with certain looks and clothing worn by the OMG girls.
In her testimony Wednesday, Tinney said she believed one MGA doll in particular, called Chillax, was a replica of a black-and-white two-piece outfit worn by the OMG Girls on their 2013 All Around The World tour.
“This is a look that we created for them. So, to me, it still feels like this is their look. I didn’t buy this at a store,” Tiny testified. She said she still thinks the entire “LOL Surprise! OMG” line is a violation of the name, vibrant hair and unique wardrobe of the OMG Girlz, but agreed that the shortlist of dolls made sense to save time. “I just want them to see that the girls worked hard for this, and they get to be part of something that they built and not be taken advantage of,” Tiny said.
In their previous trial, T.I. and Tiny asked the jury for nearly $100 million in damages to be shared with the OMG Girlz. This time, their lawyers said they were entitled to “between $17 million and $25 million.”
MGA founder Isaac Larian, a billionaire, was called as a second witness in the trial Wednesday afternoon. Under questioning by TI and Tenney’s attorney, John Keevil, Larian said the OMG girls had no meritorious claims.
“I’ve seen what they’re saying is a commercial thing, but I don’t agree with it. You guys keep changing it,” Larian testified. In an aggressive tone, Larian said his dolls “don’t look like” the OMG girls. “I know a lot of people with dyed hair,” he said.
Pullins said as she left the courtroom for lunch that she, Rodriguez and Womack were attending the trial “to support our brand.” The three women sat in the front row next to T.I. “My mom makes me so proud,” Pullins said. “I love seeing her in mom mode.” Rolling Stone.
