Mattel Files Lawsuit Over Nicki Minaj-Inspired 'Barbie-Que' Potato Chips

US rapper Nicki Minaj revealed to her 22.6 million Twitter followers she had not yet been vaccinated AFP / ANGELA WEISS

KEY POINTS

Mattel sued Rap Snacks for a Nicki Minaj-themed snack called "Barbie-Que"
The toymaker said the food company did not ask for permission to use "Barbie"
Though not named in the lawsuit, Minaj had signed a partnership with Rap Snacks

The Nicki Minaj-inspired "Barbie-Que" snack did not sit well with Mattel, so the toymaker has filed a lawsuit against the company behind it.

Following the release of Rap Snacks' latest food item, Mattel quickly responded to the Nicki Minaj-themed potato chips due to the product line's use of "Barbie" on its label.

Based on legal documents obtained by TMZ Wednesday, Mattel is suing the snack company because it "made the deliberate and calculated choice to launch a new product line using Mattel's famous BARBIE trademark."

Nicki has been calling herself "Barbie" in her music releases, and her fanbase is even called "The Barbz" because of this. Rap Snacks used the moniker for its "Barbie-Que Honey Truffle" product that also features an image of Minaj on its packaging.

Mattel is only targeting the snack company and not the female rapper because Rap Snacks allegedly failed to approach them before releasing the potato chips. The toymaker also claimed that it reached out to the company to have an agreement but to no avail.

"On information and belief, the association is so evident that upon seeing the packaging, representatives for Defendant's celebrity partner queried whether Rap Snacks had obtained permission from Mattel," read the complaint.

"Indeed, Rap Snacks never requested or received any such permission [and] proceeded to launch its product line anyway using the packaging," the document continued. "[And because they] refused to cease use of the BARBIE trademark and issued no corrective advertising, [Mattel brought] this lawsuit as a last resort to protect its rights and prevent further consumer confusion."

Minaj's partnership with Rap Snacks was announced in June, with the company's CEO James Lindsay calling the recording artist "one of the most disruptive forces in the history of rap" for rewriting "the rules of hip hop culture." Lindsay added that it just made sense for the company to start "a legendary partnership" with the rapper.

Rap Snacks is available in over 4,200 Walmart stores across the country. Before Minaj, the hip-hop culture-inspired snack food company partnered with Cardi B, Rick Ross, Fabolous and Migos to use their likeness on their products.

As of Monday, the "Barbie-Que Honey Truffle" chips could no longer be found on the company's website. Rap Snacks did not respond when asked to comment on the issue by New York Daily News.