photographer

Photographer Who Sued Megan Thee Stallion Forced To Pay Her Lawyers

by

Megan Thee Stallion has had her fair share of court battles. The rapper was famously embroiled in a criminal case against Tory Lanez, and more recently, she was sued by a photographer named Emilio Garcia. He claims the rapper trapped him inside a vehicle while she had sex with a woman. Garcia then accused Megan Thee Stallion of creating a hostile, abusive work environment in which conditions were “intolerable.” His lawsuit fell apart, however, on November 19.

Meghann Cuniff reported that Emilio Garcia was sanctioned by a federal judge on Tuesday. The photog failed to appear during pretrial conference, and has subsequently been ordered to pay the fees of Megan Thee Stallion’s lawyers. Garcia has also been ordered to pay Roc Nation’s lawyers, as the notable record label represents Megan. Prior to the sanction, One of Megan’s lawyers, Alex Spiro, claimed that Garcia was merely seeking money. “This is an employment claim for money,” he told reporters. “No sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her. We will deal with this in court.”

Read More: Tory Lanez’s Latest Claims About Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Debunked By The State

Megan Thee Stallion’s Team Called Plaintiff A ‘Con Artist’

Megan Thee Stallion’s other lawyer, Mari Henderson, went a step further and labeled Garcia a con artist who was attempting to use his proximity to the rapper to his advantage. “Plaintiff is a con artist who is manipulating the judicial system to act as his publicist and bullhorn,” they wrote. “In a desperate attempt to boost his failed singing career while trying to tear down the successful career of Megan.” To make matters worse, Spiro and Henderson questioned the competency of Garcia’s work when he was with Megan.

The legal reps alleged that Garcia falsified invoices and “overcharged for incomplete services” while serving as Megan’s photographer. They also accused him of seeking reimbursements for money he didn’t actually spend. Garcia was let go from Megan’s team in June 2023. Garcia argued that his termination was retaliatory after voicing concerns about the hostile work environment. Unfortunately, for him, the lawsuit has wound up costing a lot of money.

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion & Winnie Harlow’s Alleged Fight Sparks Debate On “The Breakfast Club”

The post Photographer Who Sued Megan Thee Stallion Forced To Pay Her Lawyers appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Nicki Minaj Apologizes To Photographer After Attacking Him During Show

by

During Nicki Minaj’s recent San Antonio tour stop of her highly successful Pink Friday 2 trek, she did a double take at one point when she thought she saw a “Peeping Tom” looking up at her with a camera from within the stage set-up. Always one to act decisively and staunchly, she kicked the camera. “Ow that’s me! No!” you can hear the cameraman say. “This is one of the craziest things we’ve ever captured. Yall plz look @ this,” the Trinidadian MC captioned her Twitter post showing the moment off. However, on Instagram, she then clarified that she actually kicked her photographer Grizz by accident, as she didn’t recognize him and thought he was just a random creep.

“Dear #GagCitySanAntonio, TEXAS,” Nicki Minaj captioned her recap post. “You are beautiful. In every way. If you only knew how bright you shine through. I’ll never forget this night. For the rest of my life. Wishing God’s divine blessings on each & every person who came out to support. They have the crown, the throne, & the whole castle. #GagCityLA, I will see you tmrw. Love you. [camera emoji]: @grizzleearts the fact that I thought Grizz (one of my fave ppl in all the land), was a peeping tom & began stomping him out. Grizz my apologies I love you. s/o to my other fave @itsjovannisoto & @lord_pny127 & the BARBZ.”

Read More: Nicki Minaj Appears To Address Jay-Z Feud By Tweeting Old Lyrics

Nicki Minaj Thought Her Photographer Was A “Peeping Tom”

Still, it’s not like Nicki Minaj doesn’t clash with her team often, as she recently blasted an assistant online for a food order she messed up. But at least they got to the bottom of things and were able to clear the situation up, and the initial clip of the kick is a bit funnier with this content in mind.

Meanwhile, even though Nicki Minaj is always looking out for her people, she doesn’t have the same sympathy for her enemies’ colleagues. “Dear fired executives & A&R’s: Don’t be mad, UPS is hiring,” she tweeted at Atlantic Records employees (Cardi B’s record label) after news broke of massive layoffs at the company. “Also, feel free to submit your resumes for a job @ #HeavyOnIt [her imprint with Republic Records].” “They’ve been wanting empty arenas so bad. Obsessed with me while all your friends r getting fired is nasty work,” Nicki had expressed in a previous tweet.

Read More: Nicki Minaj Is Still Not A US Citizen Despite Her Best Efforts

[via]

The post Nicki Minaj Apologizes To Photographer After Attacking Him During Show appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Polo G’s Entourage Attempts To Block Photographers As He Leaves NYC Courtroom

by

Polo G won’t be out of the woods with his legal troubles any time soon. Last year his Los Angeles home was raided by police which led to his arrest. He was hit with some pretty serious charges including kidnapping, robbery, and assault. As a result of the raid and charges, he delayed an album that was nearing its previously announced release date. The record still hasn’t been released or had an official release date confirmed. But new events in the rapper’s life may lead to even further delays.

Earlier this week, Polo G was arrested once again. This time the staff at a New York hotel allegedly found a loaded gun in his hotel room. The gun they found was reportedly a black glock which led them to call 911. That eventually resulted in the rapper’s arrest where he was hit with charges of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. After lawyers debated whether or not he should be eligible for bail, he was eventually granted and made $25k bail and was released. But outside the courtroom, he ran into some trouble when overly eager photographers tried to get a shot of him stepping into his car. Check out the video of what happened below.

Read More: Lil Tjay Gifts Polo G A Patek For His Birthday

Polo G’s Associate Confronts Photographer

In a video making the rounds online, Polo G leaves the courtroom. He has a few associates with him who are trying to use umbrellas to block anyone from taking pictures of him. When one photographer gets a little too close someone from the rapper’s entourage has to physically confront them to keep them from getting a clean shot of Polo.

What do you think of Polo G’s associate getting in the way of a photographer trying to get pictures of the rapper? Do you think he will ever be clear of his legal troubles enough to release his next album? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Polo G Sues Concert Booking Company For “Outrageous Fraud”

[Via]

The post Polo G’s Entourage Attempts To Block Photographers As He Leaves NYC Courtroom appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Dame Dash Faces Another Massive Lawsuit From Photographer

by

Dame Dash is facing another lawsuit, this time from photographer Monique Bunn, who claims he cost her nearly $400 million. Bunn argues that her previously heard case against the Roc-A-Fella executive should be reopened because the jury didn’t fully understand the extent of the damages. In a new filing, she argues that the trial proved her photos to be worth $1,500 each and in turn, she wants compensation.

“The evidence at trial – which was uncontroverted – established that each photo was worth $1,500, which should have resulted in a verdict for at least $384,750,000,” Bunn wrote in a memorandum of law, as noted by HipHopDX. “It is well known that professional photographers earn much of their income through licensing their portfolio of photographs, and Defendants’ actions destroyed Ms. Bunn’s economic prospects. The jury ignored the valuation evidence and awarded zero to Ms. Bunn.”

Read More: Dame Dash Escapes Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Dame Dash Arrives At “The Prince Of Detroit” Premiere

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JUNE 23: Entrepreneur/Director Damon Dash arrives at “The Prince. Of Detroit” Detroit Premiere at Detroit Music Hall on June 23, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Monica Morgan/Getty Images)

She continued: “It is impossible to conceive how a jury could conclude that a professional photographer’s portfolio of thousands of photos, as well as photography equipment, could be worth zero. Especially when the Plaintiff and the Defendants both testify that the damages are in the millions. A new trial is warranted under these circumstances.”

Bunn previously sued Dash back in 2019. At the time, she claimed he inappropriately touched her while she was sleeping at his house during a video project. More recently, Dash was ordered to sell his remaining shares in Roc-A-Fella to cover debts from a 2022 civil case. A film producer sued him for copyright infringement at the time. Be on the lookout for further updates on Dame Dash on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Jay-Z Protects Dame Dash From Having To Sell His Roc-A-Fella Shares

[Via]

The post Dame Dash Faces Another Massive Lawsuit From Photographer appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Fans Realize Kanye West Snatched Phone Of TMZ Reporter Who Ran With ASAP Rocky

by

Fans on social media have realized that Kanye West snatched the cellphone of the TMZ reporter who went on a jog with ASAP Rocky, last year. When the publication initially shared video from the incident, it was from the reporter’s camera, but as more clips of the rapper’s tirade have circulated on social media, it’s clear they’re the same viral photographer.

West grabbed the camera person’s phone when they asked about reports of him “controlling” Bianca Censori. “Don’t come after me with your dumbass sh*t,” West can be heard saying. “I’m a person bro. You’re recording. Don’t come ask me that dumbass sh*t. I’m a person.” He continued: “You wasn’t asking me sh*t when I couldn’t see my kids and now only have visitation and don’t have rights to where they go to school? You got questions for that, or are you part of the system?” When the photographer asks for their phone back, West initially refuses but goes on to offer them a job paying double what they make at TMZ.

Read More: ASAP Rocky Talks New Album While Going For A Run

Kanye West & Tyler The Creator At Charlie Wilson’s Hollywood Walk Of Fame Ceremony

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Kanye West (L) and Tyler, The Creator attend the ceremony as Charlie Wilson is honored with star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on January 29, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

ASAP Rocky ran into the same reporter back in 2023 while going on a run in West Hollywood. Despite the questioning, Rocky continued to jog and the reporter did their best to keep up with him. At the end of the run, Rocky offered to grab them lunch after hearing they threw up.

Kanye West Grabs Photographer’s Phone

We’re not permitted to post the new images of West directly on HotNewHipHop, but if you’d like to see them, you can do so by clicking the “Via” link below. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kanye West on HNHH.

Read More: Kanye West Snatches TMZ Photographer’s Phone Following Question About “Controlling” Bianca Censori

[Via]

The post Fans Realize Kanye West Snatched Phone Of TMZ Reporter Who Ran With ASAP Rocky appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Cam’ron Loses Lawsuit Over Using Picture Of Himself On Merch, Must Pay Five Figures

by

In the legal sense, Cam’ron has his sights on The Joe Budden Podcast for insinuating he had relations with underage girls. However, it seems like before he actually decides whether he wants to move forward, he has to deal with another issue in court. Moreover, the rapper faces a default judgement in a pretty curious and confusing lawsuit, which means that he’ll now have to pay up. For those unaware, this legal action came from photographer Djamilla Cochran in April of this year. She was the one who took the iconic 2003 picture of him in a pink fur coat, hat, and with a matching pink flip phone.

Earlier in 2023, she sued Cam’ron for using this picture on his clothing brand’s merch without getting the proper copyright and licensing. Allegedly, he and Dipset Couture ignored multiple infringement warnings, and never responded to the lawsuit outright. Now, Cochran seeks $57,000 as part of her awarded default judgement, plus $10,000 in legal fees. Not only that but she wants to audit Killa Cam’s brand for all the merch with this picture that he’s sold so she can access these profits.

Read More: Mase Claims Cam’ron Used A Baseball Bat To Defend Him From Dame Dash

Cam’ron At An After Party In New York City

Camron Lawsuit Photo Himself Merch Photographer Default Judgement Hip Hop News
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 16: Cam’ron attends “For Khadija” Tribeca Festival After Party at Lavo on June 16, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images)

Elsewhere, he is also quite busy with his It Is What It Is sports talk show with Mase, which has been nothing short of a massive success. Whether it’s their antics as cohosts, how the show’s affected their bonds with other athletes, or their often blunt analysis, there’s a lot to find entertainment in with this series. Hopefully Cam’ron and Mase continue to build out their platform and give us more great content along the way. Sometimes that will lead to people speaking on you– and to you wanting to sue them– but such is the media game.

Meanwhile, the Dipset MC is still dropping hot freestyles, one of which even got LeBron James’ stamp of staunch approval recently. It’s just another piece of proof that you can never count an MC out, no matter what their career morphs into. We’ll see if he has anything to say about this lawsuit’s end. For more news and the latest updates on Cam’ron, stay up to date on HNHH.

Read More: Cam’ron Reveals Nia Long Still Hasn’t Opened His Poetic DM

[via]

The post Cam’ron Loses Lawsuit Over Using Picture Of Himself On Merch, Must Pay Five Figures appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Kanye West Sued By Photographer Nearly 1 Year After Using Her Photo To Diss Gabriella Karefa-Johnson

by

2022 saw a side of Kanye West that caused many former friends and collaborators to denounce the rapper. From his troubling comments about the Jewish community to wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week, the 46-year-old wasn’t shy about publicly aligning himself with controversial ways of thinking. The latter statement caught the attention of Vogue editor, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who labelled Ye as “dangerous” and “irresponsible” for promoting such messages.

At the time, the “Stronger” rapper was often using platforms like Instagram to send out hateful messages. Unsurprisingly, Johnson’s thinkpiece about his outfit earned her a diss post from West, who declared that Johnson “is not a fashion person.” The Yeezy founder further wrote, “You speak on Ye I’mma speak on you. Ask Trevor Noah.” In the months since they’ve both seemingly moved on from the beef. However, the photographer who took the photo of Gabriella that Ye used is now taking legal action against him.

Read More: Kanye West Sued By Another Former Donda Academy Teacher

Kanye West 2022
Kanye West aka Ye is seen on October 28, 2022, in Los Angeles, California (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)

According to TMZ, Michaela Efford has confirmed that she didn’t give the multi-talent permission to use her image on his social media. The photographer captured the snapshot in September of last year, and approximately one week later it appeared on West’s IG for his millions of followers to see. Efford claims that Ye’s use of her image has harmed her ability to successfully market and make money from it. As a result, she’s seeking unspecified damages from the embattled star.

That’s not the only legal action he’s facing at this time either. Just last week, a third teacher from his Donda Academy school sued the Chicago native as well. Elsewhere in the news, Kanye West’s DONDA documentary has leaked online, and it contains some seriously heated moments. Among them is the father of four’s threats to boot Jay-Z off of his tribute album to his late mother, which ultimately didn’t end up happening. Read more about the controversial film at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

Read More: Kanye West “DONDA” Documentary Leaks Online

[Via]

The post Kanye West Sued By Photographer Nearly 1 Year After Using Her Photo To Diss Gabriella Karefa-Johnson appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Future Throws Water At Photographer Refused To Stop: Watch

by

Future is one of the best artists in hip-hop right now. Overall, he is coming off of a year in which he was able to support his new album I Never Liked You. This project dropped back in 2022 and it was a huge hit. Although, it has been a while since we have heard from him in terms of a new song. As it turns out, Future tweeted earlier this morning about “Mixtape Pluto,” which absolutely has fans excited. Moreover, a Metro Boomin joint tape is rumored to be released later this year.

Needless to say, fans have a lot to look forward to as it pertains to Future. While it may be a while before we get these projects, they are least seemingly being worked on. For a lot of fans, this is just an overall huge win. Unfortunately for Future, he took a bit of an L last night. According to My Mixtapez, this happened while out for dinner. He was with his team when a photographer started filming him. A friend of Future’s told the paparazzo to back off, however, he continued to film.

Future Has Had Enough

Subsequently, Future himself got involved, telling the man to step back. In the end, the paparazzo refused to listen. The artist then got in the car which went and drove off. However, as the rapper passed the photographer, he shot a cup of water at him. Although it wasn’t that big of a deal, it is a situation that could have been avoided if the paparazzo had just stepped back for a second or two. If anything, this just goes to show that like many other celebrities, Future is fed up with the paparazzi and their various efforts to get photos.

In the past, some celebs have done much worse. For instance, Kanye West is being sued for throwing a photographer’s phone into the street. Luckily, Future will not be getting himself into that much trouble here. Let us know if you believe he was in the right here, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the music world.

The post Future Throws Water At Photographer Refused To Stop: Watch appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Cam’ron Facing Copyright Lawsuit Over Picture In Pink Fit

by

Cam’ron is facing a copyright lawsuit from a photographer that, back in 2003, took an iconic picture of his iconic pink fit. Moreover, the photographer claims that Killa Cam used the picture in various pieces of Dipset merchandise without giving her permission. Furthermore, Djamilla Cochran filed a complaint in New Jersey federal court on Tuesday (April 11), per Billboard‘s report. If you don’t recognize the picture off the description of a pink fur coat, hat, and phone, you’ll likely know it when you see it. Cochran claimed that he also posted her photography on social media to promote his merchandise.

According to the lawsuit, Cam’ron used the photo without authorization on various pieces of his merch line Dipset Couture. These include T-shirts, jewelry, a pair of shower curtains, pillows, and swimsuits. “Getty Images notified defendants of their infringing activities by mail and email on multiple occasions,” the photographer’s lawyers’ complaint stated. “Despite those notifications, defendants continued to sell merchandise and continued to display the photograph on website and accounts.” Apparently, the 47-year-old had plenty of time to respond to the claim before the complaint officially came forward.

Cam’ron Sued For Using His Iconic Pink Fit Pic Without Permission

Despite this legal roadblock, Cam’ron has a couple of other business ventures that are netting him more headlines than his merchandise. For example, there’s his successful sports talk show It Is What It Is, which had made him a pretty vocal and disseminated figure in topics such as NBA discourse. In fact, he recently addressed people trying to buy him out of his successful enterprise, although he did express gratitude for their interest and support.

“A lot of n***as hollering at me trying to buy my show and make my show a part of what they’re doing,” he stated via Instagram. “And listen, I appreciate the love. I appreciate the interest and everything else. This is fully funded by me. I ain’t gonna get no help, I ain’t got no partners. I ain’t got no bank that came and did all this s**t.” Despite his extracurricular endeavors, it will be interesting to see if he takes that conciliatory attitude to the court. Regardless, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Cam’ron.

[via]

Happy 80th Birthday To NYC Graffiti Documentarian Martha Cooper!

by
Screen Shot 2023 03 14 at 9.41.22 AM

Born on this date in 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland, famed photojournalist Martha Cooper took her photography skills as a staff photog for The New York Post and became one of the most celebrated documentarians of Hip Hop’s most unrecognized subculture.

Cooper began her career as a photographer working as an intern for National Geographic in the 60s, which parlayed her into position as a staff photographer for The Post in the 1970s. One day on her way home from work at The Post, she began taking pics of the children in her neighborhood. This is when she met HE3, who explained to Cooper the importance and artistic aspect of graffiti. Cooper instantly became intrigued by graffiti and by 1984, put together a book of photographs illustrating the graffiti subculture called Subway Art, which is now recognized as the bible of graffiti and street art.

Screen Shot 2023 03 14 at 9.44.21 AM

Copper later put out another book in 2004 entitled Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984 From Here To Fame and later had a documentary produced about her life called Martha: A Picture Story in 2019.

Screen Shot 2023 03 14 at 9.43.43 AM

Happy 80th birthday to Martha and salute to her for all of her groundbreaking accomplishments that help to spread the culture of graffiti around the world.

The post Happy 80th Birthday To NYC Graffiti Documentarian Martha Cooper! appeared first on The Source.