Judge dismisses wig lawsuit against rapper Nicki Minaj

[September 19, 2014]  By David Beasley

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A judge has dismissed a $30 million federal lawsuit by a celebrity hair stylist who accused rapper and former "American Idol" judge Nicki Minaj of stealing his designs for the colorful wigs that helped boost her career.

Although the wigs Minaj wore are "unique and distinctive in the ordinary sense of the word," they were not recognizable by the public as having been designed by Terrence Davidson, the stylist who brought the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy ruled Thursday.

Davidson, whose celebrity clients include singers Patti LaBelle and Jennifer Hudson, began working for Minaj in 2010 and designed her wigs for high-profile events worldwide, said the suit filed in Atlanta last February.

The rapper also wore Davidson-designed wigs in a music video for the song "Super Bass," according to the lawsuit. One of Minaj's best-known wigs is called the "Pink Upper Bun." When Davidson stopped working for Minaj more than a year ago, the pop star began copying his wig designs and selling them online, he alleged.

Davidson's representatives claim it is the first-ever intellectual property lawsuit over wigs. They did have an immediate comment Thursday on the suit’s dismissal.

(Editing by David Adams. Editing by Andre Grenon)

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