Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B has taken the stand in Los Angeles, rejecting claims that she assaulted a former security guard during a 2018 encounter at a Beverly Hills medical facility.
The lawsuit, filed by ex-guard Emani Ellis, alleges that Cardi B spat on her, hurled insults, and cut her face with long fingernails while four months pregnant.
Ellis claims the incident left her with lasting trauma, including anxiety and PTSD, and is seeking damages for emotional distress and medical costs.
But in court, Cardi B—born Belcalis Almánzar—painted a very different picture. Testifying with calm composure, the rapper told jurors the clash was verbal, not physical.
“There was no touching. It was words, not hands,” she stated. She insisted Ellis had been intrusive, attempting to film her with a phone as she entered the building, which sparked her frustration.
The dispute over Cardi B’s nails became a focal point of the testimony. Ellis described them as long and sharp, claiming they left a scar that required surgery. In response, Cardi B allowed the court to examine her hands, noting that her nails at the time were “shorter than an inch” and rounded at the edges. “There’s no way these could cut anyone,” she argued.
The rapper also dismissed allegations of racial slurs and spitting, calling the lawsuit “a money grab.”
This sharp contrast between the two accounts sets the stage for a credibility battle that will likely define the outcome of the case. With Cardi B now directly challenging Ellis’s claims, the trial has shifted into a tense standoff, and the jury’s perception of truthfulness may prove decisive.
