A Manhattan judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by stylist Misa Hylton against Mary J. Blige on January 6, 2026, citing abandonment of claims after Hylton failed to respond to a motion to dismiss. The judge warned Hylton against future bad faith litigation tactics. The suit accused Blige of interfering with Hylton's management of rapper Vado.
On January 6, 2026, Judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond in Manhattan granted Mary J. Blige's motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by her former stylist Misa Hylton and rapper Vado (Teeyon Winfree). Hylton, who dated Sean “Diddy” Combs in the 1990s and shares a son with him, filed the suit on April 29, 2025, alleging that Blige sabotaged her management relationship with Vado, who was signed to Blige's Beautiful Life Records.
Hylton claimed Blige pressured Vado to fire her as manager and refused to release his completed album or allow tours until he did so. Vado, a co-plaintiff, sought at least $5 million for breach of contract. The complaint described meetings in "intimate and inappropriate" settings, such as late-night yacht outings and hotel rooms, from which Hylton was excluded.
Blige's attorneys, including Lisa F. Moore and Andrew Pequignot, called the allegations "baseless" and "fabricated" to coerce a settlement. They argued Hylton's company, M.I.S.A. Management, was not a valid New York corporation and she was not a licensed talent agent. Before filing the motion, Blige's team sent a letter demanding withdrawal, noting Vado's own delays in delivering clearances and a text where he considered firing Hylton independently. They also claimed Hylton had already received overpayments.
Hylton did not respond to the motion, leading the judge to rule it constituted abandonment of claims. "The court in no way condones parties filing lawsuits claiming millions in damages based on inflammatory accusations, only to have those very same parties abandon their allegations when faced with a motion to dismiss and sanctions," Judge Perry-Bond wrote. While declining immediate sanctions, she issued a warning: "Plaintiffs and their counsel shall consider this a warning to refrain from engaging in similar patterns of behavior in the future."
Hylton's attorney, Nicholas Ramcharitar, stated the pursuit stopped due to threats during Diddy's sex trafficking trial but insisted the allegations were valid. He added Vado intends to appeal for justice. Blige's team declined comment. Hylton, a prominent 1990s stylist for artists like Blige, Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, and Aaliyah, had previously collaborated closely with Blige, including during her 1992 album What's the 411?.
