Judge Dismisses Copyright Lawsuit Against Cardi B Over “Enough (Miami)”
Cardi B has prevailed in a federal copyright case after a judge dismissed claims that her song “Enough (Miami)” improperly used elements from another track tied to the FX series Reservation Dogs.
The lawsuit was brought by producers Joshua Fraustro and Miguel Aguilar, who perform as Kemika1956. They alleged that Cardi B’s track copied aspects of their 2021 song “Greasy Frybread,” which was released in connection with the television series. The complaint accused the rapper of reproducing and performing an infringing work without authorization, and was later expanded to include additional claims such as defamation.
In a ruling issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez dismissed the case, finding that the claims did not meet the legal threshold required to proceed. A central issue in the decision was jurisdiction. The plaintiffs attempted to anchor the case in Texas, arguing that Cardi B’s performances in the state justified applying Texas law. The court rejected that argument, concluding that her appearances were part of a broader national tour and did not establish a meaningful connection to Texas for the lawsuit.
Rodriguez wrote that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the artist specifically targeted Texas as a venue for the alleged infringement. Instead, the performances cited were consistent with routine stops on a multi-state tour, which the court found insufficient to establish jurisdiction. On that basis alone, the claims could not move forward.
The judge also addressed the substance of the allegations, stating that even if jurisdiction had been established, the complaint would still be dismissed for failing to present a valid legal claim. He described any further attempt to amend the complaint as unlikely to succeed, effectively closing the case in its current form.
The dispute has been ongoing for nearly two years and has undergone multiple revisions. Early in the process, Cardi B’s legal team argued that the plaintiffs did not hold a registered copyright for “Greasy Frybread” at the time the lawsuit was filed. The producers later obtained a copyright registration in October 2025, but the court ultimately found that this development did not resolve the broader issues with the case.
The plaintiffs had attempted to reframe parts of their argument under state law after the initial federal claim faced challenges. According to filings, the defense argued that this shift reflected an effort to work around the lack of a valid copyright registration at the outset of the case. The court did not accept the revised approach, finding that the claims remained legally insufficient.
Cardi B’s attorney, Lisa F. Moore, said in a statement that the defense was satisfied with the ruling and that the court had carefully considered the issues presented.
“Greasy Frybread,” the track at the center of the dispute, was created in collaboration with actor and musician Sten Joddi and has accumulated a modest online audience since its release. The plaintiffs argued that similarities between the two songs constituted infringement, but the court did not find a viable legal basis to support that claim within the framework presented.
The decision adds to a series of legal outcomes in which Cardi B has successfully defended against intellectual property claims.
