Musical feud

Wig designer Terrence Davidson is suing Hip Hop star Nicki Minaj for 30 million dollars. “Terrence Davidson filed suit Friday in district court in Atlanta alleging that the star not only stole his wig designs, but also cost him a potential reality show deal that he was discouraged from pursuing”. Davidson began working for Minaj in 2010 as her Hair stylist, and also began designing wigs for her to wear in her performances. The rapper has since become increasingly famous and known for her eccentric style, such as her pink and platinum blonde wigs. Davidson discovered that the superstar is now selling wigs for profit on her website, which are essentially duplicates from the various looks he initially created for her.

Davidson participated first hand in creating this “image” that the successful rapper became known for. “Both Davidson and his attorney, Christopher Chestnut, talked to CNN about his influence on crafting Minaj’s image as well as the fact that the rapper now sells wigs on her site based on the designs Davidson says he created”. Davidson alleges there were business plans between him and Minaj to create a wig line, and potentially start a reality show. The lawsuit states that by 2012, Minaj and her associates began isolating him from any business ventures. Terrence believes he should be able to participate in the financial rewards Nicki Minaj is reaping by selling wigs based on his original designs he created.

While a lawsuit over wig designs initially sounds juvenile, hair is a multi-billion dollar industry. Davidson’s lawyer states, “these are not your grandma’s wigs. These are eclectic. They are decadent, and they are creative. This is about a brand that Terrence has built”. Terrence had a large part in creating a look that Nicki Minaj built her fame off of, and was once considered a colleague. He is looking for recognition for his participation in helping the rapper build her brand.