Detroit rapper sues Lyft over weight discrimination

Michelle Vueges
3 Min Read
Detroit rapper sues Lyft over weight discrimination

A Detroit-based rapper has filed a civil lawsuit against rideshare company Lyft, alleging that a driver refused her service because of her weight. Dajua Blanding, known professionally as Dank Demoss, claims that on Jan. 18, she had paid Lyft for a ride from her home in Detroit to a football watch party at her cousin’s house.

When the Lyft driver arrived at her home in a Mercedes Benz sedan, Blanding alleges he refused to let her into the car, instead locking the doors and driving away. The driver told her she was “too big” and that the car’s tires could not support her weight. Despite Blanding’s assurances that she could fit comfortably in the sedan, the driver insisted that overweight customers must order Lyft XL rides, which accommodate up to six passengers and come at a higher rate.

The complaint states that the driver canceled Blanding’s ride and drove away, causing her to miss the party. Blanding asserts that the incident caused her significant distress, including stress, humiliation, embarrassment, and emotional damages.

Detroit rapper alleges weight bias

Lyft noted that all its drivers are independent contractors. A spokesperson stated, “Lyft unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination — we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness. Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination.”

Blanding contends that the driver’s actions constitute weight harassment and violate her rights under the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.

She is seeking an unspecified sum in damages. “Under the law, refusing someone transportation due to their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation based on their race or religion,” said Blanding’s attorney, Jon Marko, of the Detroit-based Marko Law firm. “Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society.”

Court officials have scheduled a hearing for 8 a.m. on April 20.

Blanding, who weighs 500 pounds, shared her experience on social media, and the video has been viewed more than 8,000 times. As Dank Demoss, she has over 173,000 followers on Instagram and 1,247 monthly listeners on Spotify, where her latest single, “I Miss You,” was released Jan. 4.

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