Cardi B’s Former Manager Suing Her for $10 Million

Cardi B’s former manager is looking for her money bags.

The “Bartier Cardi” rapper is being sued for $10 million by Klenord “Shaft” Raphael, who claims Cardi fired him and froze him out of her career after she achieved success.

“Since discovering Cardi B in 2015, Shaft has played an integral role in developing her music career and public image,” the manager’s rep said in a statement, first reported by the New York Daily News. “While he is proud of their successful collaborations as she evolved from Instagram influencer to music megastar, Shaft is disappointed by her actions to freeze him out of her career, which are detailed in the complaint. Shaft is confident that his lawsuit will validate his conduct and substantiate his legal claims.”

Cardi switched from Raphael’s management to Solid Foundation in March. In the suit, he reportedly claims credit for Cardi’s breakout role on the VH1 reality series Love & Hip-Hop: New York, where she starred for two seasons from 2015 to 2017.

According to Variety, the claims include breach of contract, unjust enrichment, quantum merit, declaratory judgment and defamation against Cardi.

Among the more colorful claims made in the complaint are quotes from a pair of text messages: On Dec. 16, 2017, [Cardi] texted Shaft: ‘I’m not f—ing with you no more you dead ass doing me [] Grimmey.’

After that communication, Cardi B began withdrawing from Shaft, contacting him less and less. Two days later, Offset contacted Shaft, confirming that Cardi B was spreading the lie that Shaft had robbed her: ‘[U] better stop play acting like u don’t know u taking her s— from her u a snake. U can’t hide from me N— and u not bout to play my WIFE.’”

The rapper has had an eventful month with the release of her debut album Invasion of Privacy on April 6. The singer also announced her pregnancy when she served as musical guest on Saturday Night Live the following day after months of speculation.

Cardi also performed during both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Thursday night, the rapper announced the cancellation of several summer tour dates due to her pregnancy, but states she plans to return to the stage to tour with Bruno Mars starting in September.

While Cardi has remained tightlipped about her due date, Page Six reports Offset already picked the child’s name.

“My dude named the baby. I really like the name,” she said of Offset’s decision. “I’m gonna let him say the name since he named the baby.”

TMZ first reported that Cardi was pregnant back on Feb. 14. According to the site, one of her representatives told a staffer at a venue where she was performing during Super Bowl weekend in Minneapolis that she was avoiding the “party atmosphere.” She was avoiding alcohol and preferred to drink water and stand near the stage. The representative told the staffer she was three to four months pregnant.