Image Source: www.self.com, BOL News

Cardi B on Thursday i.e., 13th January 2022 told a federal jury in Georgia that she felt ‘extremely suicidal’ over the accusations that she filed against a YouTube channel claiming that the channel that belongs to Latasha Kebe engaged in spreading false and harmful information about the singer like stating that she had been a prostitute, contracting sexually transmitted diseases and other falsehood.

In March 2019, Cardi B filed a defamation lawsuit in the Atlanta Division of the Northern District Court of Georgia against a YouTuber named Latasha Kebe who has 1 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, ‘unWinewithTashaK’, claiming that she went on a ‘malicious campaign’ against the singer and has been obsessed with her. The lawsuit alleged, “Kebe became obsessed with slandering and harassing Cardi. In the 16 months preceding the filing of this lawsuit, Kebe put out at least 38 videos regarding the rapper.”

The lawsuit further claimed that Latasha Kebe has made several videos and social media posts that have created a negative and false narrative about Cardi B whose real name Belcalis Almanzar is used in the video. The comments, videos and posts by Latasha include that Cardi B had tested positive for herpes and abused drugs. The lawsuit that was reviewed by Insider stated that the YouTuber Lastasha Kebe had an idea that posting videos or posts about Cardi B will surely garner her channel and videos more views, which will help her channel to grow.

It has been reported that Cardi B was emotional during the time she appeared in court. Image Source: Azerbaijan News 

One video on Latasha's YouTube channel claims that, Cardi B “f–ked herself with beer bottles on f—king stripper stages.” The account’s most popular video to date, an interview with Jones entitled “Exclusive: Cardi B’s Ex-FRIEND ALLEGES Cardi B. Kept A Huge Box filled with MONlSTAT & REVEALS More!,” boasts about 4.59 million views. According to the lawsuit, it has also been claimed by the rapper that Latasha Kebe in one of her videos has stated that Cardi B's then-unborn child would have intellectual disabilities along with claims of Cardi B being involved in prostitution. 

According to reports by Billboard, Latasha Kebe denied the accusation and alleged in a $3million countersuit that the rapper had asked and sent her fans to harass her. Later Billboard reported that the judge dismissed the case of Latasha Kebe last year who mentioned that there was no evidence to prove that she was harassed by the rapper.

In November, Cardi B had asked to delay the trial because of a family emergency to which Latasha Kebe accused her of fabricating the entire story so that she could host the American Music Awards. Later, Latasha Kebe sought and won a court order requiring a Los Angeles hospital to turn over any records of STD tests performed on Cardi B. But the judge said that those records were ‘not helpful’ to Latasha’s defense which meant that they likely showed negative test results.

Latasha Kebe has 1Million subscribers on her YouTube channel. Image Source: Latasha Kebe 

The lawsuit filed by Cardi B is finally going for trial and on 13th January 2022 Cardi B told a federal judge, “I felt extremely suicidal.” She also added that she felt helpless and had developed anxiety, fatigue, weight loss, and migraines due to the comments that Latasha Kebe said in her videos. Cardi B said, “Only an evil person could do that s–t,” she later apologized for her language. Cardi B further explained that as a result of the videos, she struggled to be intimate with her husband and rapper Offset and eventually decided to seek help and go to see a therapist. “I felt defeated and depressed and I didn't want to sleep with my husband”, she claimed.

Talking about the claims that Latasha Kebe made in one of her videos that Cardi B had contracted sexually transmitted diseases, including herpes, Cardi B has denied that she does not have herpes. She recalled an incident where she posted a picture of her kissing her daughter Kulture on the lips and some of the users started to comment whether it was appropriate for her to do that, refereeing the herpes rumor.

Cardi B has shared that she has felt 'suicidal' after watching the videos of Latasha Kebe. Image Source: Yahoo

The trial will continue into Thursday afternoon, potentially with more testimony from Cardi B and she can be cross-examined by Latasha Kebe’s attorneys. According to Law360, as soon as the trial began, Latasha's attorney, Sadeer Sabbak asked the jurors to not make any judgment without any context or proof. Sadeer added, "Everyone is familiar with humor, everyone is familiar with opinion, and everyone needs context to appreciate that." To which Cardi B's attorney, Sarah M. Matz replied, "Saying people have highly stigmatic diseases is not a joke," and added that Latasha Kebe is aware that statements like these, if false, are defamatory. The last video that Latasha Kebe uploaded of the rapper was over six months ago. 

Lisa F. Moore and William A. Pequignot of the law firm Moore Pequignot LLC and by Gary P. Adelman and Sarah M. Matz of Adelman Matz PC represent Cardi B in the trial. Sadeer Sabbak and Olga Izmaylova of Sabbak & Izmaylova PC represent Latasha Kebe.