'Love & Hip Hop' Producers Sued -- Show Idea Was STOLEN

The cat fights are now spilling into court -- a pair of female producers are suing the people behind "Love & Hip Hop" ... claiming the reality show was their idea first ... and VH1 stole it.

Trisha Lum and Nickie Lum-Davis filed the suit against VH1 and MTV -- claiming they pitched the idea back in 2009 ... and thought they had a deal to make their show, called "Hip Hop Wives."

According to the lawsuit ... the show was supposed to star current and former flames of DMX, Swizz Beatz, Irv Gotti and Jim Jones ... but VH1 honchos cooled on the idea ... saying they didn't want a show that would compete with its other reality series, "Basketball Wives."

The Lums are calling BS ... saying VH1 moguls used "Hip Hop Wives" as the template for "Love and Hip Hop" ... down to the last detail.

Trisha and Nickie want justice ... in the form of money. Their lawyer tells us they're gunning for an 8-figure judgment.