A photographer who worked for prominent American rapper Megan Thee Stallion has filed a lawsuit against her in Los Angeles Superior Court. The photographer, Emilio Garcia, alleges that he was subjected to a series of unacceptable behaviors during his employment, including being forced to witness a sexual encounter, being subjected to verbal abuse and body-shaming, and being misclassified as an independent contractor to avoid providing proper employment benefits.
Garcia’s lawsuit alleges that after a night out in Ibiza in 2022, he was forced to stay in an SUV with Megan while she engaged in sexual activity with another woman. He claims that he was unable to leave the vehicle, which was moving at the time, and that he felt embarrassed, mortified, and offended by the incident.
The lawsuit further alleges that the following day, Megan instructed Garcia not to discuss what he had witnessed and berated and fat-shamed him. Garcia also alleges that he had previously considered quitting his job due to overwork, underpayment, and a hostile work environment, which he claims was exacerbated by Megan’s possessiveness and abusive behavior.
Garcia claims that he raised these concerns with Megan but was fired the following day after four years of working for her. He has since filed a job discrimination complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.
The lawsuit names as defendants Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete, her companies Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment and Hot Girl Touring, and her label, Roc Nation. A defense response has yet to be filed. A representative of Roc Nation has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Garcia is seeking financial damages to be determined at trial, alleging that he has suffered severely both emotionally and physically because of his treatment on the job, the firing, and having to witness the incident in the SUV.
Megan, 29, has not yet commented on the lawsuit. She has previously been involved in major legal drama as the victim of a shooting by rapper Tory Lanez, who a jury found fired at her feet on a street in the Hollywood Hills in 2020. She testified at the trial where jurors convicted Lanez of three felonies and a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Already a major rising artist at the time of the shooting, Megan has since become one of hip-hop’s biggest stars. She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “WAP.”
