Worker Claims Rap Group Beat Him Up

BROOKLYN (CN) - A music festival's stage manager claims in court that a hip-hop group beat the hell out of him on stage as he tried to take sound equipment away because the band was breaking it.

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Anthony Montalbano sued a long list of defendants in New York County Supreme Court, including the seven members of the A$AP Mob, Sony Music Entertainment, and Fader Media Network, which he claims told him to go on stage to save the equipment, and failed to provide him with security to do so.

Montalbano claims that Fader Media hired (nonparty) Best Instrument Rental for its October 2011 Fader Fort Music Fest.

Montalbano, stage manager and audio technician for Best Instrument Rental, claims that during their performance the members of group "shouted obscenities indicating their dissatisfaction with the microphones and damaged musical instruments and equipment that was on the stage."

Montalbano say a Fader employee told him to go on stage to stop the group from breaking the equipment.

There was "no security personnel were present in or around the stage," Montalbano says.

"Plaintiff was then grabbed by the defendants and continuously punched in the face and head for several minutes and said defendants hit plaintiff in the head with a microphone," the complaint states.

"Plaintiff was covered in blood and sustained serious and lasting injuries, including but not limited to an open scalp wound, concussion, abrasions, lacerations and pain in his head, neck, back, knees and ribs."

Montalbano says he needed 10 stitches in the scalp from a hospital ER, and that three band members were charged with assault.

He seeks compensatory and punitive damages for negligent hiring, emotional distress, assault and battery and negligence.

He is represented by Cristina Ctorides, with Goldsmith Ctorides.

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