'I thought I would never be heard': Cardi B after winning defamation lawsuit

Grammy winner Cardi B extended her thanks to the jury and her legal team, following her win in a defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Tasha Kebe, who was sued by the star for hurting her reputation by posting fake content on the internet.

The 'WAP' artist recently spoke to People magazine after she was awarded nearly USD 3 million in punitive damages and attorneys' fees in her lawsuit against YouTuber Tasha Kebe.

"I thought I would never be heard or vindicated and I felt completely helpless and vulnerable," Cardi said in a statement shared with People magazine.

As per Variety, the jurors ruled out on Tuesday that Kebe is responsible for USD 1 million in punitive damages for hurting the rapper's reputation. Her company Kebe Studios LLC was ordered to pay an additional USD 500,000. Kebe will also have to reimburse Cardi for the rapper's legal costs, which add up to USD 1,338,753.47.

The latest award for Cardi B is in addition to the USD 1.25 million Kebe was ordered to pay the Grammy-winning star on Monday, bringing the total to more than USD 4 million, as per Variety.

Kebe's attorney Sadeer Sabbak said, according to the outlet, that the defence "disagree[s] with the verdict" and "will be filing an appeal."

Cardi also said in a statement shared with People magazine, "After almost four years of repeated libel and slander against me, being able to walk away from this victorious brings me great happiness. I appreciate Judge Ray for conducting a fair and impartial trial."

"I am grateful for the jury and their careful deliberation over the past two weeks. I am profoundly grateful for the hard work and support from my legal team. Most importantly, thank you to my family and close friends who held my hand and helped me get the support I needed during this experience," she added.

Cardi, who testified that Kebe's remarks caused her to be "extremely suicidal, said in her statement that fans have "learned about the darkest time in my life," and that it was "fueled by the vile, disgusting, and completely false narratives that were repeatedly and relentlessly being shared online."

"I thought I would never be heard or vindicated and I felt completely helpless and vulnerable. I have never taken for granted the platform that my fame allows me to have, which is why for over three years I dedicated every resource I had to seek justice," Cardi added.

Cardi said that she didn't want "justice" solely for herself, noting that "the intentional harm that was done to me, is done to countless others every day."

"The only difference between me and the high schooler who is being cyberbullied and lied on by their classmates is the money and resources I have access to," she added.

The mother of two shared she thinks that "We collectively have to say enough is enough. We can no longer be a society that turns a blind eye to blatant lies. The unchecked behaviour and provably false content on platforms like YouTube have to be addressed and removed. The constant harassment and lies that are reported as factual from journalists and bloggers have to end."

The 29-year-old rapper shared that her career was launched on social media, "so I know the power it has," adding that while social media has forged movements from Black Lives Matter to Stop Asian Hate and Women's Rights, "we've also seen countless stories of children and adults deciding to take their own lives due to cyberbullying and intentional attacks."

"So while I am very grateful that this trial has come to its conclusion and the jury has rendered a powerful and substantial message, literally--I really hope that my experience forces all of us, but especially the platforms who allow this behaviour to be a part of their communities, to re-think what moves us forward as a society versus what cripples us," Cardi said in a statement to People magazine.

For the uninformed, Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, sued Kebe in 2019 over dozens of videos that contained shocking claims about the rapper saying she contracted herpes, she had been a prostitute, that she had cheated on her husband, she had done hard drugs and more.

The jurors on Monday sided with Cardi on her accusations that Kebe waged a "malicious campaign" to hurt the superstar's reputation.

Cardi alleged the "degrading and harassing" remarks first began around April 2018, when Kebe shared a video, via her YouTube channel unWinewithTashaK, claiming Cardi's pregnancy with daughter Kulture, 3, could result in a child born with special needs.

Kebe previously denied any wrongdoing and attempted to file her own lawsuit against Cardi for assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress, alleging that the rapper "began to publicly trash" her on the internet, resulting in Kebe allegedly being threatened.

Judge William M. Ray II dismissed Kebe's allegations in July, as per People magazine. .

( With inputs from ANI )

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