Megan Thee Stallion Sued by Cameraman Over Hostile Work Environment Claim

Zoe G Phillips
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A cameraman who formerly worked with Megan Thee Stallion has filed a lawsuit against the rapper alleging harassment and other workplace-related claims.

Emilio Garcia worked as a cameraman for the rapper from 2018-23. He filed a complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday against Megan Thee Stallion, born Megan Pete, and her companies, Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment Inc., Hot Girl Touring LLC and Roc Nation. The suit includes nine labor code violations, including harassment and hostile work environments.

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Garcia alleges that Stallion had sex in a moving car that Garcia could not get out of while on tour in Spain in June 2022. The claim notes that Garcia “was embarrassed, mortified and offended throughout the whole ordeal.”

The day after the incident, the suit continues, Stallion asked whether Garcia had been in the car, and when he confirmed he was, she allegedly told him, “Don’t ever discuss what you saw.”

On the same trip, Garcia also claims that the rap star chastised Garcia for being fat and eating too much, calling him a “Fat Bitch” and telling him, “Spit your food out.”

The suit also alleges that Garcia was wrongfully compensated for the duration of his employment, writing that he was misclassified as an independent contractor, which allegedly deprived him of health care and overtime pay. He also claims he was routinely denied breaks for rest or meals.

In August 2022, the CEO of Roc Nation changed Garcia’s compensation structure from a $4,000 monthly rate to a pay-per-task system, which resulted in Garcia “earning significantly less, as the invoiced amounts did not accurately reflect the true time and effort dedicated to working for her,” the lawsuit states.

Garcia’s suit also claims that Stallion told him he could not work for anyone else and was required to remain on 24/7 standby for the singer while on tour. Garcia’s contract was terminated in 2023, which he alleges was in retaliation for his complaints about this harassment and the failure to pay him properly.

“Plaintiff grapples with mounting anxiety, depression, and physical distress stemming from the toxic work environment, compounded by the trauma of unpaid work,” the lawsuit states.

“This is an employment claim for money — with no sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her,” Stallion’s attorney, Alex Spiro, tells THR. “We will deal with this in court.”

Ron Zambrano, a partner and Employment Litigation Chair at West Coast Employment Lawyers, is representing the plaintiff. On Wednesday, Zambrano issued a statement in response.

“Unfortunately, it is not a surprise that the defendant, through her attorney, is denying the allegations,” Zambrano said. “It is an utter lie that we have not alleged a hostile work environment based on the sex claim. It is literally the first claim listed in the lawsuit. None of this is intended to embarrass her but merely an attempt to hold her accountable for her illegal actions just as anyone else should be, celebrity or not. The reaction that my client should not have been offended or somehow thankful for being in a car while she had sex with another woman is an absolute double standard. If our client was a woman and was forced to watch a man have sex in the vehicle with her, there would be no outrage if she was offended.

“Employees who work for celebrities should be afforded the same sort of workplace free of harassment that any other worker in any other industry is legally obligated to have. We have to stop expecting that those who work for stars should just deal with this egregious and illegal behavior and suck it up and be thankful for their access. That is a recipe for the abuse in treatment and underpayment, not only in this lawsuit, but in many other stories that are yet to be told.”

NBC News was the first to report news of the lawsuit.

April 24, 10:45 a.m.: Added statement from the plantiff’s attorney.

This story was originally published on April 23 at 6:31 p.m.

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