In a significant legal victory for toymaker MGA Entertainment, a federal jury in Santa Ana has ruled in favor of the company in a high-profile dispute with rapper Clifford “T.I.” Harris and his wife, singer-songwriter Tameka “Tiny” Harris.
The Harris couple had accused MGA of improperly using the likeness of the OMG Girlz, a girl group they managed, in the “L.O.L. Surprise! OMG” line of dolls.
The OMG Girlz, which includes Tiny’s daughter and two of her friends, was promoted by the Harris couple from 2009 until 2015, with a brief reunion in 2017.
In January 2023, Tiny Harris publicly called out MGA Entertainment on Instagram, sharing several photos of the dolls and highlighting their striking resemblance to the members of OMG Girlz.
The couple’s allegations centered on the claim that the hair, dress, and name of the dolls were nearly identical to those of the OMG Girlz and argued that this amounted to an infringement on the group’s likeness.
The couple sought nearly $100 million in damages from MGA, which began selling the dolls in 2019.
MGA Entertainment became embroiled in this legal spat when the Harris couple sent a cease-and-desist order to the company in 2020.
According to T.I. and Tiny, they discovered the dolls when fans brought them to their attention. They then tried to settle the matter privately with MGA, which allegedly led to the toymaker filing a lawsuit against them.
In their countersuit, T.I. and Tiny argued that MGA responded in bad faith. They asserted that instead of discussing a licensing agreement, MGA pre-emptively filed a lawsuit claiming sole ownership of the name and image of the OMG Dolls.
Despite their efforts, the Harris couple lost their legal battle. A jury found the Harris’ and The OMG Girlz abandoned their trademark in 2018, paving the way for MGA’s wins. The jury’s decision signifies that they cannot prevent MGA from marketing the ultra-successful line of dolls.