Duelling press releases, fake names, and a $48M demand collide with California’s doxing law
A hip hop label publicly named two women who sued it anonymously for sexual misconduct - and a California appeals court backed the move.
The Second Appellate District ruled on October 8, reversing a Los Angeles trial court and ordering it to strike a doxing claim against Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).
The lawsuit dropped in December 2024. The women filed as Jane Doe and Jane Roe, alleging sexual battery, sexual harassment, and sexual assault by individuals connected to the label. One also alleged unpaid wages. The other alleged she was assaulted while living in a label-owned home.
Neither asked the court for permission to proceed anonymously.
Two days before the Grammy Awards, the women’s lawyers issued a press release framing the suit as “a glaring example of the systemic abuse and exploitation in the entertainment industry.” TDE fired back the next day, calling it “a clear example of a shakedown lawsuit” with “fabricated claims” - and named both women. The statement also flagged a $48 million demand.
Five days later, the women added a doxing claim under California’s Civil Code section 1708.89, alleging TDE had unlawfully revealed their identities.
TDE moved to strike the claim under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which lets defendants kill off meritless claims targeting protected speech early in a case. The trial court said no. The appeals court reversed.
Two points drove the...
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