Private messages concerning an alleged backstage incident have become the latest source of tension in Nicki Minaj’s legal dispute with her former employee, Brandon Garrett. The rapper is refusing to hand over certain text messages requested by Garrett, who filed a lawsuit against her in 2025, accusing her of physically assaulting him during her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. However, Minaj’s objections go beyond privacy concerns, as she also maintains that some of the requested messages do not exist.
Court documents reviewed by TMZ reveal that Garrett is seeking messages Minaj exchanged with other individuals about his employment between January and April 2024. He is also requesting communications concerning the alleged assault, which he claims took place backstage at her Detroit concert that April. Minaj maintains that she has no text messages related to the incident and has challenged other requests, arguing that they are overly broad.
The dispute adds another layer of tension to an already contentious evidence-gathering process. Garrett previously accused Minaj and her company, Pink Personality Inc., of failing to provide adequate responses to questions about the alleged incident. He argued that the delays had interfered with his ability to pursue the lawsuit.
The lawsuit centers on an alleged confrontation at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on April 21, 2024. Garrett, who served as a day-to-day manager during the tour, claims Minaj became enraged after discovering that he had asked another employee to pick up her prescription medication. According to his complaint, Minaj threatened him during the encounter, telling him, “You’re a dead man walking.” He also alleged that the rapper struck him in the face with enough force to knock off his hat before hitting his wrist. Garrett claims he later locked himself inside a bathroom out of fear for his safety.
Minaj’s attorney at the time, Judd Burstein, dismissed the allegations, calling the lawsuit “completely false and frivolous.” In January 2025, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office also declined to pursue criminal charges, citing insufficient evidence and asking Detroit police to conduct further investigation.
The civil lawsuit has since sparked a separate dispute over access to evidence. In April, Garrett accused Minaj’s representatives of failing to provide adequate answers to written questions and requested $3,900 to cover his legal expenses. Her attorneys responded that they had submitted answers in July and provided additional information in September. They also argued that Garrett’s earlier requests for court intervention were no longer relevant.
