{"id":4615,"date":"2025-02-13T20:36:06","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T20:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freshstoryes.lol\/?p=4615"},"modified":"2025-02-13T20:36:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T20:36:06","slug":"rapper-files-lawsuit-against-lyft-for-discrimination-in-pickup-denial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freshstoryes.lol\/?p=4615","title":{"rendered":"Rapper Files Lawsuit Against Lyft for Discrimination in Pickup Denial"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Michigan rapper is taking legal action against Lyft after claiming a driver refused to pick her up, allegedly fearing she was too heavy for his car to handle.<\/p>\n

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Dajua Blanding, 36, who performs under the name Dank Demoss, captured the encounter on video earlier this month. The footage shows her arguing with the driver, insisting she could fit in his vehicle, while he repeatedly pushed back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can fit in this car,\u201d Blanding insisted in the video.<\/p>\n

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Believe me, you can\u2019t,\u201d the driver responded.<\/p>\n

The driver ultimately canceled the ride, assuring Blanding she wouldn\u2019t be charged. However, she has since filed a lawsuit against the rideshare company, claiming the incident left her feeling humiliated and discriminated against.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been in cars smaller than that,\u201d she said in an interview. \u201cI just want them to know that it hurt my feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n

After posting the video to Instagram, reactions poured in\u2014with many siding with the driver. Some suggested she should have opted for a larger vehicle, such as a Lyft XL, which is meant to accommodate more space.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s against the law to overload a car,\u201d one commenter pointed out. \u201cThe driver was polite, explained his reasoning, and even apologized\u2026 try seeing things from another perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the backlash, Blanding stood her ground. In the caption of her now-viral post, she accused Lyft of mistreating plus-sized riders.<\/p>\n

\u201cAM I WRONG?\u201d she wrote. \u201cLyft, what do you have to say about this driver who discriminated against me? I feel like you all treat big people like s***. Like we don\u2019t belong here.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to her lawsuit, Blanding alleges that the driver pulled up in a Mercedes-Benz sedan but locked his doors and attempted to leave upon seeing her. When confronted, she claims he told her she was too large to fit in the backseat and even suggested that her weight could damage his tires.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat do I have to do with your tires?\u201d Blanding is heard asking in the video.<\/p>\n

Her attorneys, Jonathan Marko and Zach Runyan, argue that the driver\u2019s refusal to provide service violated Michigan law, which classifies weight as a protected characteristic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that it was illegal, and I knew that it was wrong,\u201d Marko told Fox 2, comparing the situation to denying someone a ride based on race or religion.<\/p>\n