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After being a victim to a shooting involving rapper Remy Ma, Makeda Barnes-Joseph is now looking to find retribution for the 2007 incident.

The shooting left her being shot twice in the stomach, by her former friend over a financial dispute.

Making the allegations that the rapper’s label promotes violence and also failed to act after the shooting, Barnes-Joseph is filing a lawsuit against Universal Music Group.

“Universal hires and encourages rap artists to act violently and engage in anti-social behavior in order to sell CDs. Thus, part of the performer’s persona promoted by the company is to ‘keep it real’ and remain ‘gangsta,” stated lawyers Barnes-Joseph.

Opening oral arguments began earlier this week in New York Supreme Court.

Filing the suit back in 2008, she claimed that the company encouraged their artist’s criminal behavior by allowing Remy Ma to have violence in her music and continuing to hold her as an “employee” during the criminal investigation.

In response, the label has countered with a motion summary judgment to have the complaint dismissed, which was granted last April by Judge Betty Owen.

Lauren P. Raysor, the attorney for Barnes-Joseph, filed an Appellate Brief to appeal the decision and made the argument that her client’s case was not given due process as “the Court either disregarded or misunderstood the employment status of Remy Smith, aka “Remy Ma,” with Universal Music Group at the time of the shooting.”

The rapper is currently serving time in New York’s penal system with an 8 year sentence to face.  There is an ongoing appeal in relation to her conviction which could find her being released earlier, otherwise she will be eligible for release in 2013.