🎭 Nicci Gilbert’s Still Fighting Over ‘P-Valley’—And Now Owes Even More
Singer, songwriter, and “R&B Divas” alum Nicci Gilbert just got hit with another blow in her ongoing battle over “P-Valley.”
After her copyright lawsuit against Lionsgate and Starz was tossed out last year—and she was ordered to pay $600,000 in legal fees—the Appeals Court just added another $170,000 to the bill.
Nicci took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her frustration and shed light on what she sees as a system that doesn’t protect creatives—especially independent ones.
“I was just ordered to pay another $170,000 to Lionsgate… simply for having the audacity to fight for my intellectual property,” she wrote.
💬 “No Jury Trial. No Justice. Just Punishment.”
In her tweet thread, Nicci gave a breakdown of what’s been happening behind the scenes—and it’s a lot.
“No jury trial. Depositions of the defendants? Redacted. My verified meeting with Lionsgate? Ignored. My expert with 30+ years of experience? Struck from the record.”
She said her expert looked at footage from her 2011 stage play, “Soul Kittens Cabaret,” and the “P-Valley” pilot and agreed with what many fans have pointed out online: “This looks very similar.”
But the court didn’t agree.
The ruling? The similarities weren’t enough to prove copyright infringement.
📺 What Sparked Nicci Gilbert’s Lawsuit
Back in 2022, Nicci filed a lawsuit claiming that “P-Valley”—the popular Starz drama about dancers in the Mississippi Delta—borrowed heavily from her stage play, “Soul Kittens Cabaret.”
She said the characters, themes, and overall storyline mirrored her work without credit or consent.
She filed through her production company, NoEgo Entertainment, and sought damages along with an injunction to stop the show’s distribution.
But in August 2024, a judge dismissed the case and ordered her to pay $600K in legal fees to Lionsgate, Starz, and the show’s creators.
This new $170K is on top of that after she appealed the ruling.
⚖️ A Bigger Fight About Ownership
Nicci’s not just talking about her own experience—she says this fight is bigger than one case.
She’s calling attention to how hard it is for independent artists to protect their work in an industry dominated by big-money studios.
“This isn’t about being delusional. It’s not about celebrity. It’s about fairness. It’s about truth. And it’s about what happens when a system only works for the wealthy and powerful.”
She also pointed to the U.S. Constitution, which protects creative works under the Copyright and Patent Clause.
“I’m fighting for ownership. For equity. For the Creatives who came before me and the ones coming next.”
📹 The Financial Toll Is Heavy On Nicci Gilbert
In a video posted to her YouTube channel, Nicci shared that she owes more than $1 million in legal fees and $50,000 for an expert report that was thrown out.
She said the court labeled her case “frivolous” and questioned how anyone could say with a straight face that her family deserves financial ruin for speaking up.
“Can you honestly say, with your whole chest, that my family deserves to be financially destroyed by a billion-dollar company?”
📣 Meanwhile, Silence From The Other Side
“P-Valley” creator Katori Hall seemingly responded to the latest ruling with a quick Instagram post, but the comments were turned off.
There’s been no official statement from Lionsgate or Starz.
💡 Why This Story Still Matters
Whether you agree with the court’s decision or not, Nicci Gilbert’s fight touches on bigger issues—creative control, intellectual property rights, and what it costs to stand up for your work when the odds (and the money) aren’t in your favor.
As she put it:
“If you think what’s happening to me can’t happen to you — keep watching.”
Let me know your thoughts on this case in the comments below or join the convo on our socials.
