As creatives have begun to use social media and the internet to boost their careers and notoriety, they have been met at a crossroads of their work being used without their consent. While many feel that artists and photographers should be credited for their work that is posted, others disagree.
Of those that disagree is polarizing punk rapper Rico Nasty. This week, Twitter user @nameisboytoy, who makes original cartoon-inspired art and sells it, noticed Rico Nasty reposted some art they made on her Instagram Story.
When fans began to pester Rico about needing to credit the artist, she pushed back with a video rant: “So if you see something that you like on Twitter, and you screenshot it, you’re supposed to post the artist? Y’all make these politics for reposting sh*t and it’s so f**king stupid. I fi see something, and I f**king liked it, then I’m gonna repost that. I don’t have to tag anybody. This is ridiculous.”
Rico continued by saying fans likely use her photos and image without her consent, so she should be able to do the same: “How many of y’all post pictures of me and not tag me? Remake pictures of me and not tag me? Y’all need to shut the f**k up. Y’all invade my whole privacy over here, but I can’t even post something that I f**king like and you’re taking it to heart like, ‘Damn no credit?’ Girl, here’s your credit, here’s your 15 minutes of fame, the picture was cute, you’re a great artist, but you’re a sh*tty f**king person.”
Having art reposted by a celebrity can help creatives boost their success and audience, but Rico does not feel that she owes that to them. Do you agree with Rico Nasty?