Remy Ma, Universal Hit With $80 Million Lawsuit

Remy Ma's legal woes have followed her into the new year. The rapper, who was charged with shooting her longtime friend, Makeda Barnes-Joseph, in the stomach for allegedly lifting $2,000 from her purse, was slapped with a $80 million lawsuit on Wednesday. The suit, which names the Remy Ma's former record label Universal Music Group and Sure Shot Recordings, claims the companies encouraged her violent behavior.

"Only by pursuing those who we believe are legally responsible for this vicious and callous act of violence, can we hope to put an end to this senseless cycle of violence that is glorified by Hip-Hop marketing," Barnes-Joseph's attorney, Lauren P. Raysor, said in a statement.

The rapper, whose real name is Reminisce Smith, and her team of lawyers claim Barnes-Joseph is simply an opportunist. "It strikes me that this is part of a publicity stunt," Smith's attorney Ivan Fischer told the Village Voice. "The claims she makes are inaccurate. She reaches into every conceivable deep pocket-people and institutions that have no more responsibility for what happened than the village voice. It's grossly irresponsible