In a significant legal development, popular rapper Megan Thee Stallion has emerged victorious in a defamation lawsuit against blogger Milagro Gramz. However, the court win, which addressed years of online harassment, was quickly overshadowed by a crude and controversial rant from prominent streamer DJ Akademiks.
Courtroom Victory Against False Claims and Deepfakes
A nine-member jury in the Southern District of Florida found the blogger, legally named Milagro Cooper, liable for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and promoting an altered sexual depiction. The case centered on false claims Cooper spread online, which portrayed Megan as a "mouthpiece," "puppet," and "paid surrogate" for fellow rapper Tory Lanez. This harassment was linked to the 2020 shooting incident involving Lanez.
Critically, the jury also determined that Cooper encouraged her followers to view a sexually explicit deepfake video that had been manipulated to target Megan. The court initially awarded $75,000 in damages, but this was later reduced to $59,000 after the judge classified Cooper as a media defendant. Despite the reduced amount, the ruling is seen as an important acknowledgment of the real-world harm caused by persistent online abuse and misinformation.
DJ Akademiks Mocks Legal Win and Personal Life
Following the verdict, DJ Akademiks launched a harsh critique of Megan Thee Stallion on social media platform X. He ridiculed the financial outcome of the case, suggesting the legal fees outweighed the damages. "Spent $2 million on lawyer fees to win $60k," he posted, adding a remark about her therapy expenses.
His comments took a more personal and offensive turn during a live stream, where he targeted Megan's relationship with Dallas Mavericks basketball guard Klay Thompson. Akademiks crudely suggested that the rapper's romantic involvement was somehow connected to Thompson's declining performance on the court this season, making a series of vulgar and unsupported claims.
Reactions and the Path Forward
In response to the court's decision, defendant Milagro Cooper stated she "respects the jury" but was "not ecstatic." Her attorney, Jeremy McLymont, noted that the outcome was not a complete victory for either side.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges public figures face against online defamation and digitally altered content. While Megan Thee Stallion's legal victory sets a precedent, the vitriolic reaction from a figure like DJ Akademiks underscores the persistent culture of online harassment that continues to thrive alongside such legal battles.
