Nicki Minaj’s lawyers are asking to withdraw from a $275,149.62 lawsuit over expenses tied to her Jingle Ball appearances and Pink Friday 2 promotional events. The request has already paused the case, leaving the court to sort out who will represent the rapper before it can address the small matter of a disputed six-figure bill.

Kurzman Eisenberg Corbin & Lever filed its withdrawal motion on October 23 on behalf of Minaj and her company, Pink Friday Productions LLC. Attorney Bruce W. Bieber told the court that disagreements over litigation strategy and a breakdown in communication had left the attorney-client relationship “irretrievably broken down.” Continued representation, he wrote, was “no longer feasible or appropriate.”

Why has the $275,000 lawsuit been paused?

New York Supreme Court Justice Leslie Stroth stayed all proceedings on October 27 while she considers the law firm’s request to leave. A hearing is scheduled for December 1, according to DancehallMag.

The immediate timetable is:

  • Opposition papers are due November 12.
  • Reply papers are due November 23.
  • The withdrawal hearing is set for December 1.
  • If the firm is allowed to leave, the stay will continue for at least 30 days so replacement counsel can be hired.

That means the underlying payment dispute is temporarily going nowhere, which is not especially unusual when lawyers say they can no longer communicate effectively with their own client.

According to court documents reported by TMZ, the firm has also struggled to notify Minaj directly. A process server went to the building where she reportedly owns a $10 million penthouse, but a concierge said she was not home. Her husband, Kenneth Petty, was reportedly there, although the concierge allegedly added that the couple had a tendency not to answer their phones.

Neither Minaj nor 24/7 Productions had issued a public response to the withdrawal request as of November 5.

What does 24/7 Productions say it is owed?

24/7 Productions filed the case on March 23 in New York County Supreme Court. The company says it provided planning, staffing, sound, lighting, rigging, transportation and logistical support for Minaj’s December 2023 Jingle Ball appearances and events promoting Pink Friday 2.

TMZ initially described the claim as exceeding $200,000. Reporting from DancehallMag and AllHipHop places the amount sought at exactly $275,149.62, including interest and costs. DancehallMag reported that 24/7 says it advanced more than $255,000 for the work.

The disputed expenses reportedly include some accommodations that were not designed with economy in mind:

  • A $103,730 bill from The Langham, New York, including a seven-night suite priced at $9,500 per night
  • A $25,197.85 stay at the Four Seasons

XXL reported that 24/7 alleges Pink Friday Productions received about $650,000 for the Jingle Ball dates. The production company argues that it covered event costs and was never properly reimbursed.

Pink Friday Productions disputes that account. In a July 31 court filing, the company said the debt had already been paid. The case therefore involves more than a forgotten invoice, despite the familiar appearance of one.

Can Nicki Minaj be held personally responsible?

A central issue is whether Minaj herself can be made liable for obligations allegedly incurred by Pink Friday Productions LLC.

In a July motion seeking dismissal, Bieber argued that the production company, not Minaj individually, contracted for 24/7’s services. He described the personal claim against the rapper as “an ill-advised attempt to sue a famous deep-pocket.”

That distinction matters because a limited liability company is legally separate from its owner. To recover directly from Minaj, 24/7 would need to support its case against her as an individual rather than simply point to her ownership or celebrity. The court has not yet resolved that question.

For now, Justice Stroth must first decide whether Minaj’s current lawyers can step away. If she grants the request, Minaj and Pink Friday Productions will need new counsel before the court returns to the larger questions: whether the bill remains unpaid, how much is actually owed and whether the rapper can be pursued personally.

The December 1 hearing will not settle the $275,149.62 claim. It will determine who is still in the room when that fight eventually resumes.