Kanye West Claims Self-Defense In Autograph Dealer Assault Lawsuit

BYGabriel Bras Nevares670 Views
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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Recording artist Kanye West performs onstage during The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the STAPLES Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images)
The alleged 2022 altercation, according to the plaintiff, saw Ye strike him multiple times despite their business in the past.

Kanye West seeks to dismiss the assault lawsuit against him from an alleged autograph dealer who sought his signature and is claiming self-defense in this case while denying any and all wrongdoing, according to court documents reportedly obtained by Radar Online. For those unaware, Justin Poplawski sued Ye this January in Los Angeles Superior Court for alleged battery and assault, and claimed to be a renowned autograph dealer who got his signature in the past without issue. The story goes that, on January 13 of 2022, Poplawski went to Soho Warehouse in downtown L.A. after hearing the Chicago artist was there.

Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses Kanye West of screaming at the supposed autograph dealer on his way out of the building, referencing his "f***ing divorce" from Kim Kardashian. "Go the f**k [out of] here before I beat you the f**k up. I’m going to make an f***ing example out of you," he allegedly shouted at Paplowski. Then, the plaintiff claims, the 46-year-old punched his face. "So do you want to get attacked for real?" he allegedly asked Paplowski. When Paplowski allegedly asked Ye to apologize, he claims that he responded with "Apology for what?" Paplowski claims he attacked him several more times and "severely" injured and disfigured him as one of the rapper's colleagues failed to settle him down.

Kanye West & Bianca Censori At Milan Fashion Week 2024

Kanye West and Bianca Censori at Marni RTW Fall 2024 as part of Milan Ready to Wear Fashion Week held on February 23, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images)

As such, the lawsuit demands unspecified damages for medical expenses and mental strain. "Defendant is informed and believes, and based on such information and belief, alleges that Defendant was justified in doing any and/or all of the acts alleged in the Complaint," the reportedly filed response reads. "All of the purported causes of action in the Complaint [become null] to the extent [Kanye West] acted in defense of himself and/or others. [West] acted reasonably and in good faith at all times material herein, based on all relevant facts and circumstances known to [West] at the time [West] so acted."

The "CARNIVAL" creative requested that the court dismiss this case, award him attorney fees, and deny Paplowski any damages. Meanwhile, other lawsuits for sample clearance issues and other matters remain on the docket. We'll see whether any of them see a similarly big update. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kanye West.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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