Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Way, took the stand as a hostile witness on Thursday in a civil trial where he is accused of subjecting a woman to nearly two years of physical, emotional, and s*xual abuse. The plaintiff, who has chosen to remain anonymous, alleges that she was hired as Way’s assistant and was subsequently mistreated while living in his Malibu residence.
Throughout his testimony, Soulja Boy denied claims that he was physically violent toward the plaintiff. He also rejected the assertion that she was officially employed as his assistant, despite evidence presented in court, including text messages that suggested she performed various tasks for him, such as retrieving his boarding passes and buying clothes.
Also read: Abuse and kidnapping allegations against Soulja Boy explored as trial for 2021 civil lawsuit begins
Soulja Boy testifies in civil case alleging physical and emotional abuse
While testifying, the rapper admitted to publicly referring to the plaintiff as his assistant at least once but insisted that her role was informal. Under questioning, he acknowledged that he had instructed her to run errands, though he seemed to downplay the extent of her responsibilities. Screenshots of text messages displayed in court also included evidence of demeaning and hostile language directed at the plaintiff.
The plaintiff's attorney Dean Aynechi said:
"You would tell her to go get you food."
"I would tell her to go get us food," the rapper responded.
"You would tell her to buy you clothes?" the attorney asked.
"If she was already out, I would tell her to buy some clothes," Soulja Boy said.
"She would hold your bags for you, correct?" Aynechi questioned.
"Nah," the rapper answered. "She was too little for the bags I had. I would have the security hold the bags."
The plaintiff’s testimony, which spanned nearly three days, depicted a distressing account of her alleged experiences in the rapper's home. She says she was often kept isolated in her room for long periods, and describes an atmosphere in which she was prey to constant fear and mistreatment.
In addition to physical violence, she testified that Way subjected her to emotional manipulation, humiliation in front of others, and, at times, verbal abuse. Some messages introduced in court contained affectionate exchanges between the two, while others revealed aggressive insults.
When confronted with one particularly harsh message he had sent—“F* you b*. I hope you die slow", Aynechi asked,
"Those are your words?"
"These are my words," Soulja Boy answered.
"Is it OK to talk to women like this?" Aynechi questioned.
"No," the rapper said.
During the intense questioning, at one point, Soulja Boy earned a reprimand from Superior Court Judge Mark Epstein for an inappropriate response when asked to read from a document. The judge reminded him to answer questions properly, to which the rapper ultimately complied.
Significantly, Soulja Boy did not get directly questioned on the s*xual assault allegations during his testimony. Instead, the spotlight stayed on allegations of physical abuse.
The defense opted not to question him during this session, reserving that opportunity for when they present their case in the coming days.
With the plaintiff having rested her case, the trial is set to continue next week as the defense prepares to respond to the allegations. The civil jury trial is expected to conclude soon, with both sides awaiting a verdict that could have lasting implications for Soulja Boy's career and public image.

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