Marc Beja, amNewYork, New York –
Chris Brown and Drake started and escalated a drunken “melee” two months ago at a SoHo club and should pay for their violent antics, according to a $16 million lawsuit filed Wednesday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The June 14 brawl at W.i.P., the SoHo club that shares space with Greenhouse, left several people — including Brown — with injuries after fists and bottles were thrown by the two musicians and dozens of people in their group.
Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., the company that owns the trademark for Greenhouse, said they lost a $4 million deal to let another group open up several nightclubs across the country using its name because of negative press after the fight. They asked a judge to award them at least $16 million in damages, plus lawyer’s fees.
Reps for Brown, Drake and the club did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday.
Brown and Drake “crossed paths in one of the nightclubs and began to fight violently with each other,” according to the lawsuit. “Each ordered his security personnel, bodyguards, friends and entourage to join the fight, which erupted into violent brawl on a massive scale.”
The musicians allegedly “shared a grudge against the other arising out of their romantic relationships with the same woman,” identified in published reports as Brown’s ex, Rihanna.
Both groups are accused of using whatever they could get their hands on to battle.
“Their two posses had at each other, throwing highball glasses laden with alcohol, shattering the handles of bottles of spirits to use as makeshift knives, and even throwing full bottles,” the suit says. “Terrorized patrons ran for cover, but found none . . . using banquettes and tables as improvised shields.”
The suit claims that several people were injured, including Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, who has sued for $20 million. Parker said he almost lost his left eye, which was cut by a shard a glass.
The lawsuit claims that the club’s name wouldn’t have been tarnished — and they wouldn’t have lost a contract for a licensing deal — if the two musicians would have acted responsibly.
“If the Defendants had utilized reasonable care, they would have easily determined and avoided the risk involved in creating the violent melee,” according to the lawsuit.
In an email, an NYPD spokeswoman said the agency is still investigating the incident and has not yet made any arrests. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment.
Marco Santori, a lawyer for Entertainment Enterprises wouldn’t elaborate on the large sum asked for in the suit.
“We were trying to avoid filing. We were trying to salvage the deal that the news of this melee killed,” Santori said. “There is a real damage to our property here and that’s what we’re going after.”
