The company responsible for managing and licensing Lil Baby’s intellectual property claims his reputation is taking a hit due to allegedly contaminated products released through a hemp brand partnership.
Last week, The Holding Company—owner of several Lil Baby-related trademarks—filed a lawsuit against Bay Smokes. What was meant to be a collaboration on themed hemp products like “WHAM!”, “SAVAGE PATCH!”, and “GOON BERRIES!” reportedly took a serious turn.
According to the complaint obtained by Complex, Bay Smokes, co-founded by Katiana Kay and William James Goodall, allegedly posted explicit content that created a misleading connection to Lil Baby’s brand.
However, the bigger issue outlined in the lawsuit centers on the products themselves. The Holding Company claims the items sold were actually illegal cannabis products, not the legal hemp goods agreed upon. After purchasing and testing the products, they allegedly “failed microbial safety testing and contained over 22% of total THC.”
The reported test results also flagged the presence of E. coli, along with yeast and mold levels described as “too numerous to count.”
“Defendants’ conduct not only breached the Agreement but also exposed consumers to unsafe products falsely associated with Plaintiff and the Lil Baby brand,” the lawsuit states.
Despite a cease-and-desist issued in February 2025, WHAM-branded items reportedly remain available on Bay Smokes’ website. The lawsuit further claims the company has actually increased its promotion instead of pulling back.
The Holding Company is now seeking to block Bay Smokes from using Lil Baby’s name, image, and likeness, along with the removal and destruction of existing products, plus additional damages.
