A California jury just hit Grammy-nominated rapper Soulja Boy with a major legal blow. The rapper, best known for his viral hit “Crank That,” has been ordered to pay over $4 million in damages after being found liable for assault, sexual battery, and harassment against a woman who once worked for him.
The victim, referred to as Jane Doe, served as Soulja Boy’s personal assistant. She lived with him during their complicated relationship in 2019 and 2020. According to reports, her lawsuit painted a disturbing picture of workplace harassment, emotional distress, and gender violence.
After two days of deliberation, the jury announced its verdict on Thursday. DeAndre Cortez Way, better known as Soulja Boy, was found responsible for putting the woman in fear, subjecting her to sexually offensive contact, and causing intentional emotional distress.
Breakdown of the $4 Million Damages Against Soulja Boy
When the verdict was read in the courtroom, witnesses described Soulja Boy sitting still with his gaze locked straight ahead. At first, he even had a slight grin when the clerk announced he’d have to pay $760,000 for the assault claim.
But that grin didn’t last long.
It quickly disappeared when the jury slapped him with an additional $1.5 million on the sexual battery count. The most crushing blow came when it was revealed that punitive damages would be added on top — pushing the total amount Soulja Boy owes to over $4 million.
According to court documents, the jury found that the victim faced workplace harassment while working for the rapper from January 10, 2019, to July 20, 2019. However, they did not find him liable for false imprisonment.
