Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B appeared in a Los Angeles County courthouse this week to defend herself against civil assault allegations dating back to February 2018, in a case that has resurfaced nearly seven years after the alleged incident.
The trial, which began Monday, centers on dramatically different accounts of what transpired inside a Beverly Hills medical building when the rapper, whose legal name is Belcalis Almánzar, was visiting her obstetrician’s office while pregnant with her first child.
Plaintiff Emani Ellis, a former security guard, claims the rapper attacked her unprovoked on February 24, 2018, when Cardi B was approximately four months pregnant. In her lawsuit, Ellis alleges that Cardi B “violently, unlawfully, intentionally, suddenly, and maliciously” hit her head, face, and body and also spat on her while using profanities and racial slurs.
Ellis testified that Cardi B took a “swing” at her while cursing and body-shaming her and that the rapper scratched her cheek with a fingernail, requiring plastic surgery. The security guard claims she has suffered ongoing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia as a result of the encounter.
Cardi B’s legal team presents a starkly different narrative, alleging that Ellis was the aggressor and was attempting to film the rapper entering her OB-GYN’s office while she was visibly pregnant—before her pregnancy was publicly known.
Defense attorney Drew Findling characterized Ellis as the physical threat, describing her as weighing “240-250 pounds, wearing black military boots, hovering over her, yelling and screaming at her, and taking swings at her.”
The rapper’s first courtroom appearance has attracted significant attention, with her choice of a pixie cut wig even generating social media commentary. Ellis has provided detailed testimony about what she characterizes as verbal and physical assaults that occurred when Cardi B visited the medical building where she worked.
The two-week civil trial is expected to feature witness testimony, medical evidence, and security footage. Notably, a Los Angeles County judge granted Cardi B’s attorneys’ request to exclude references to the rapper’s past as an exotic dancer from the proceedings.
If found liable, Cardi B could face financial penalties, with the scope of any award to be determined in a second phase of the trial. The case emerges as a significant legal challenge for the multi-platinum artist, whose career has flourished since 2018 with multiple chart-topping hits and business ventures.
The incident allegedly occurred during a pivotal period in Cardi B’s life, when she was establishing herself as a major force in hip-hop while navigating her first pregnancy. The trial represents a rare instance where the typically private matter of prenatal care has intersected with celebrity legal proceedings, highlighting the unique privacy challenges faced by high-profile figures even in medical settings.
As testimony continues, the case underscores ongoing questions about celebrity privacy, security protocols in professional buildings, and the lasting impact of alleged confrontations that occurred during highly personal moments.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Cardi B is currently on trial for a 2018 civil assault case involving security guard Emani Ellis, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts of what happened at a Beverly Hills medical building while the rapper was pregnant.
