Renowned rapper Kanye West is confronting legal challenges as he finds himself at the center of a lawsuit filed by an avid fan who alleges physical assault during an autograph request encounter in 2022.
Justin Poplawski and his wife, Tiffany Marshall, have initiated legal proceedings in the Los Angeles County Court, citing charges of assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and loss of consortium, as disclosed in documents obtained by The Blast.
The purported incident transpired in downtown Los Angeles on January 13, 2022, when Poplawski, self-identified as a “well-respected autograph dealer,” approached Kanye seeking an autograph.
The lawsuit contends that Kanye, known for hits like “Flashing Lights,” responded aggressively, reportedly shouting, “Go the fk (out of) here before I beat the fk out of you. I’m going to make a f**king example of you.” Poplawski further alleges that Kanye referenced his divorce from ex-wife Kim Kardashian during the altercation.
According to Poplawski, the rapper proceeded to physically assault him, inflicting severe injuries through repeated punches. The legal documents assert that the couple was lawfully positioned on public property when the alleged incident occurred.
Marshall, in addition to the charges against Kanye, is suing the 46-year-old rapper for “loss of consortium.”
Shortly following the altercation, a video depicting Poplawski on the ground while Kanye shouted surfaced on social media. Although the police investigated the incident, they opted not to press charges against the “Gold Digger” rapper.
The L.A. City Attorney’s Office, after a comprehensive review of the evidence, released a statement at the time, stating, “After a thorough and careful review of all the evidence, our office is declining to file based on no reasonable likelihood of conviction.”
