The Holding Company Sues Hemp Brand Over Lil Baby IP Dispute
- The marketing and licensing company for rapper Lil Baby is suing hemp brand Bay Smokes for allegedly damaging his reputation by marketing contaminated illegal cannabis products using his intellectual property.
- Testing revealed the Lil Baby-themed products contained 22% THC, tested positive for E.coli and yeast, and had mold levels too high to count, failing microbial safety standards.
- The complaint accuses Bay Smokes of posting erotic videos on social media that falsely implied association with Lil Baby’s brand.
- Despite a cease and desist issued in February 2025, Bay Smokes allegedly increased advertising of the WHAM!-branded products, prompting the lawsuit seeking damages and to stop the brand’s use of Lil Baby’s name and likeness.
The marketing and licensing company for rapper Lil Baby’s intellectual property is suing a hemp brand, alleging his reputation is being tarnished due to contaminated products that are being marketed using his IP by the hemp company, Complex reports. The Holding Company last week sued Bay Smokes – which is co-founded by adult entertainer Katiana Kay and William James Goodall – claiming that the items bearing Lil Baby’s IP were illegal cannabis products, not hemp products, and that the products “failed microbial safety testing,” according to the complaint outlined by Complex.
Testing found the Lil Baby-themed products contained 22% THC and tested positive for E.coli and yeast, and contained mold “at levels too numerous to count,” the complaint states.
The complaint also contends that Bay Smokes posted erotic videos on social media, which created a “false impression” that the content was associated with Lil Baby’s brand.
A cease and desist was issued in February 2025 to force Bay Smokes to stop selling WHAM!-branded products; however, the lawsuit contends that the company instead “ramped up” its advertising of the brand.
The lawsuit seeks damages and seeks to prevent Bay Smokes from using Lil Baby’s name, image, and likeness in association with the brand.