Grammy-winning artist and actress Mary J. Blige is preparing a legal response to a $5 million lawsuit filed by former friend and stylist Misa Hylton, who accuses the singer of intentionally sabotaging her management contract with rapper Vado.
As AllHipHop.com reports, on May 30, Blige was officially served by Hylton marking the beginning of a heated legal dispute. The lawsuit claims Blige, through her company Beautiful Life Productions, signed Vado to a recording deal in October 2023 but shelved his completed album by July 2024. It also states that Blige urged Vado to cease working with Hylton’s agency, M.I.S.A. Management, which had a contract entitling them to 20% of the rapper’s earnings.
Further claims from Hylton state that Blige limited his touring opportunities and held private meetings with him to persuade him to exit the deal.
The court has set July 28 as the deadline for Blige’s response. While both parties have agreed on procedural matters, Blige’s legal team has not waived any defenses.
“These women were closer than biological sisters. Misa did everything to keep this private—calls, texts, even letters to Mary’s legal team. But after months of silence and missed obligations, we had no choice but to file. This lawsuit wasn’t Plan A—it was Plan Z,” Hylton’s lawyer, Nicholas Ramcharitar, told AllHipHop.
Hylton helped to bridge the gap between fashion and hip hop in the ’90s, styling R&B artists in hip hop streetwear. The gig started when she was 17 years old. Hylton styled Mary J Blige for several occasions and boasted about their friendship with 101.9 The Mix.
“We’re a great team and I understand how she understands. We were both from Westchester County. I’m from Mount Vernon, New York. She’s from Yonkers, New York,” she shared. “And anyone from Westchester knows we have our own, like, swagger and style. We both love hip hop music. We both love fur, boots and everything that comes from black fashion and hip hop culture. So it was a natural fit.”
The lawsuit has fractured a decades-long friendship between the two women.