DJ Akademiks wonders why Cardi B is not settling her assault lawsuit by paying $100K when she said she spends $3M a month

The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" - Arrivals - Source: Getty
Cardi B at the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" (Image via Getty Images)

DJ Akademiks recently weighed in on Cardi B's ongoing trial regarding an assault lawsuit that former security guard Emani Ellis filed against the rapper in 2020. For the uninitiated, Ellis sued Cardi B for "assault, battery, and infliction of emotional distress" concerning a 2018 incident at a Beverly Hills obstetrician’s office. Ellis had claimed that the Bodak Yellow rapper allegedly attempted to strike her, spit at her, hurled insults and racial slurs at her, and scratched her face with her nail.

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The civil trial, held at an Alhambra court in Los Angeles, began on August 25, 2025. On August 26, DJ Akademiks took to his Rumble livestream to comment on the trial, wondering why Cardi B didn't settle with the security guard outside of court instead of spending a week in court for the trial.

According to XXL Magazine, Ellis is reportedly seeking "medical expenses, damages for loss of past and future earnings, punitive damages, and a civil penalty of $25,000." Akademiks, who assumed the settlement was for $100,000, stated that the amount would be negligible for Cardi, who once claimed that she spent $3 million every month as living expenses.

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"I would say, just pay her. Respectfully, Cardi B taking a week of her life, going to court everyday, getting glammed up...you gotta pay for security, your lawyer, you're wasting a week of your life just for trial. Yo' Cardi, that's not worth a $100,000 to you," Akademiks said.

He continued:

"Like, the way that Cardi told us how she makes money or spends money... Cardi, if you're spending 3 million a month, that means that $750,000 a week...if your bills total to 750,000 a week, I would imagine that unless you're bad with money, you're making at least 1.5 million a week... If this woman wanted a $150,000, just give her the $150,000 cause your week is much more valuable."
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Cardi B's comments about spending $3 million a month were made in December 2024, after netizens called her out for her Shein partnership and speculated whether the collaboration was motivated by her alleged financial struggles. During an X Space conversation at the time, the rapper dismissed the rumors, claiming that she spends almost $3 million per month and was recently offered a $65 million tour.

As per Celebrity Net Worth, Cardi B is estimated to be worth $80 million at the time of writing this article. However, the rapper alluded to her net worth being higher in a 2024 interview with Complex, saying:

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“I feel like I actually passed almost doing $80 million. I make a lot of money. I make a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of money.”

Cardi B denied having a physical altercation with Emani Ellis during her testimony

On August 26, 2025, Cardi B took the stand to deliver her testimony, stating that she did not have a physical altercation with Emani Elli during the incident outside the Beverly Hills obstetrician’s office on February 24, 2018.

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According to The Los Angeles Times, Ellis had claimed in her lawsuit that she saw Cardi B exit the elevator outside the obstetrician’s office that day and had exclaimed, “Wow, it’s Cardi B."

Ellis claimed Cardi, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almànzar, accused her of spreading the news about her visit to the doctor. For context, the rapper had been about four months pregnant with her first daughter, Kulture, and her pregnancy was not publicly known at the time of the incident.

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In her lawsuit, Ellis claimed the rapper began hurling curses and racial slurs at her, disparaging her career and making fun of her appearance. Furthermore, she alleged that Cardi swung at her, spat at her, and scratched her face with her nail extensions.

Ellis had also accused Cardi B of getting her fired from her job using her star power in her lawsuit. However, during her testimony at the trial, the guard recanted the claim, stating that she was fired due to a HIPAA violation.

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During her testimony on August 26, Cardi denied the physical altercation; however, she admitted to cursing at Ellis. The rapper testified that she believed the security guard was recording her on her phone that day and walked towards her to confront her, emphasizing that it was a “verbal fight. ... It did not get physical at all.”

“But I didn’t touch her. She didn’t touch me," the rapper added.
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According to Rolling Stone, Cardi's attorney, Peter Anderon, told the jury that Ellis was allegedly "hovering" over the rapper and "screaming at her" during the alleged altercation, adding:

“Cardi B was facing someone, with all respect, who testified she was 240-250 pounds, wearing black military boots, hovering over her, yelling and screaming at her, taking swings at her, trying to get to her. There will be evidence that it was [Ellis] who yelled, ‘I will f**k your s**t up.’ That’s when someone intervened and dragged [Ellis] to an elevator and said, ‘You have to leave.'”
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The trial is still ongoing as of this article.


Meanwhile, Cardi B is gearing up for the release of her sophomore album, Am I The Drama?, which will be released on September 19, 2025.

Edited by Bharath S
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