Cardi B’s wigs and ‘less than an inch’ nails steal the spotlight in bizarre civil trial; everything to know
Published on: Aug 28, 2025 11:53 pm IST
Instead of the alleged assault, what’s capturing the internet’s attention are the clips of rapper Cardi B being grilled about her hair and nails
Cardi B is currently caught up in one of the strangest televised celebrity trials in recent memory, where the focus seems to be on her wigs as well as the length, shape, and colour of her acrylic nails…from 7 years ago!
The 32-year-old rapper, born Belcalis Almanzar, is facing a civil suit in Alhambra, California, where security guard Emani Ellis claims Cardi assaulted her outside a Beverly Hills obstetrician’s office back in 2018. Ellis alleges the Bodak Yellow star scratched her with a 3-inch fingernail, spat on her and left her “deeply traumatised.” Cardi, however, has flatly denied it: “I didn’t touch her. It was like a verbal fight, but it didn’t get physical at all,” she told the jury.
Why is the case trending?
The reason this case is trending so heavily online is that instead of focusing solely on whether the altercation ever turned physical, much of the courtroom spotlight has been stolen by… wigs and manicures. Clips circulating online show Ellis’ sigma male lawyer Ron Rosen grilling Cardi on everything from whether her platinum blonde and black bob are her “real hair” (“They’re wigs,” she laughed) to asking her to hold up her nails for inspection. “I don’t want you to take a ruler to it, but if you were to give your estimate, is it half an inch, one inch?” he pressed, as Cardi deadpanned that her current nails are fake, rounded, and definitely not gang-related — another line of questioning the judge quickly shut down. The bizarre exchanges have gone viral, with one clip about her wig racking up millions of views on X, proving that even in a serious case, Cardi’s wit and courtroom comebacks remain unmatched.
Furthermore, on day three (August 27), Cardi conceded she and Ellis went “chest-to-chest” during the heated argument but doubled down that her “coffin-style” rhinestone nails at the time couldn’t have harmed anyone. Meanwhile, Dr. David Finke, the gynaecologist at the centre of the visit, testified that he didn’t recall Cardi sporting any dramatic three-inch nails that day — subtly backing up her claim.
The trial continues today and for the rest of the week. While the outcome remains uncertain, one thing is clear: when Cardi B is in the witness stand, the world is laughing.
