January 07, 2026
Misa Hylton opens up about the mental health impact after her $5M lawsuit against Mary J. Blige was dismissed on her 53rd birthday.
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Misa Hylton is speaking out about the mental health toll of her legal battle after a New York judge dismissed her $5 million lawsuit against Mary J. Blige on January 6, 2026, her 53rd birthday.
Judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond dismissed Hylton’s lawsuit after she failed to respond to Blige’s motion to dismiss the case. The fashion stylist and entrepreneur said the ordeal forced her to reflect deeply on the balance between friendship and business.
In an exclusive statement to Loren LoRosa of The Breakfast Club, Hylton revealed the emotional impact of the legal battle.
“Over the years, there have been people very close to me who have hurt me deeply, and I chose not to pursue them even when I could have, and maybe should have,” Hylton said. “That reflection led me to ask myself why I would choose a different path for someone I once called my sister.”
The judge said this failure “constitutes the abandonment of their claims” and issued a stern warning about “bad faith litigation tactics.” Perry-Bond stated that parties should not file lawsuits claiming millions in damages based on inflammatory accusations only to abandon them when faced with dismissal motions.
Hylton filed the lawsuit in April 2025, claiming Blige sabotaged her management deal with rapper Vado by blocking his music releases and career opportunities.
The lawsuit alleged Blige breached contracts by not including Vado on tours, records, and videos as promised, despite Vado being signed to Blige’s Beautiful Life Productions. The two women were best friends for more than 30 years before this falling out over business dealings.
Blige’s legal team had argued that Hylton’s management company, M.I.S.A. Management, didn’t legally exist, making any contracts void. They also claimed that Vado himself failed to meet the requirements of his record deal with Blige’s Beautiful Life Productions.
“The Court in no way condones parties filing lawsuits claiming millions in damages based on inflammatory accusations, only to have those very same parties abandon their allegations when faced with a motion to dismiss and sanctions,” the judge said after throwing out the case.
Hylton explained that the experience taught her valuable lessons about mixing personal relationships with business ventures.
I just received a statement from Misa Hylton on The dismissal of her lawsuit against Mary J Blige, her former friend of 30+ years.
— BROWN GIRL GRINDING⭐️ (@LorenLorosa) January 7, 2026
The $5 Million lawsuit was originally filed by Misa accusing Mary J Blige of breaching contracts .. which caused monetary damage.. re: music artist… https://t.co/Wx4KYIIMAE pic.twitter.com/MtplAJsXuA
“Through this experience, I learned that mixing family, friendship, and business is not always wise, and that even in painful moments there are meaningful lessons to be learned,” she continued.
The stylist acknowledged that while she disagreed with some actions taken during the dispute, she ultimately decided to prioritize her well-being over continuing the fight.
“While I don’t agree with everything that was done, I chose peace,” Hylton stated.
Most significantly, Hylton opened up about how the legal proceedings affected her mental health and forced her to examine her relationships more deeply.
“This entire ordeal has taken a significant toll on my mental health and has caused me to reflect deeply on life, memories, relationships, and their true purpose and meaning,” she revealed.
Hylton concluded her statement by expressing hope for healing for everyone involved in the dispute.
“I pray for healing for all of us,” she said, indicating her desire to move forward from the legal battle that strained a decades-long friendship.
The judge’s warning about bad-faith litigation tactics suggests the court viewed Hylton’s abandonment of the case as potentially frivolous, especially given the seriousness of the allegations and the substantial damages claimed in the original filing.
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