Cardi B has been absolved of a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement amid a discussion of the artwork for her breakout mixtape, “Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1.”
-Cardi B absolved in racy mixtape artwork lawsuit
In December of last year, Cardi B was sued by a photographer who claimed that she had used one of his shots without permission on the artwork for her mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1. The photographer, Kevin Weston, sought $500,000 in damages from the rapper.
On Tuesday (May 9), a judge ruled in favor of Cardi B, absolving her of any wrongdoing in the case. According to court documents obtained by XXL, Weston claimed that he took the photo in question at a club in Queens, New York, in 2014. He alleged that he never gave Cardi or anyone associated with her permission to use the image.
Weston argued that the use of his photo on the mixtape artwork caused him “irreparable harm,” as it led people to believe that he was affiliated with Cardi’s music and subject matter, which he claimed is “anti-women.”
However, the judge found that Weston could not prove that he suffered any actual damage as a result of the photo being used on the mixtape cover. The judge also noted that Weston had previously sold other photos of Cardi to various media outlets.
As a result of the ruling, Cardi B is now free from any legal liabilities in this case.
Cardi B wins the lawsuit?
On Wednesday, a federal court cleared Cardi B in a lawsuit stemming from artwork featured on her mixtape “Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1.” The plaintiff, Kevin Brophy Jr., had accused the rapper of using his likeness without permission on the cover of the tape, which features a topless woman with Brophy’s face superimposed over her own.
In its ruling, the court found that Cardi B did not use Brophy’s image “in a way that is likely to cause confusion,” and therefore did not infringe on his rights. The court also noted that the artwork in question was “transformative” and protected by the First Amendment.
This is good news for Cardi B, who has been embroiled in a number of legal battles over the past year. In addition to this lawsuit, she is also facing charges related to a fight at a New York City strip club.
Making a decision on whether or not she should apologize for the imagery
When Cardi B was deciding on whether or not she should apologize for the graphic artwork on her mixtape, she had to consider a few things. Firstly, she needed to think about why she was being asked to apologize in the first place. Was it because of the content of the artwork, or was it because someone found it offensive? If it was the latter, then she needed to decide if she thought the artwork was actually offensive, or if they were just misunderstanding it.
If she decided that the imagery wasn’t offensive, then there would be no need for an apology. However, if she decided that it could be seen as offensive by some people, then an apology might be necessary in order to avoid any further backlash. Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to apologize rested with Cardi B herself.
conclusion
The court has ruled in favor of Cardi B, absolving her of any wrong-doing in the mixtape artwork lawsuit. This is a victory not just for Cardi, but for artists everywhere who may have been worried about facing similar lawsuits. The ruling sets a precedent that artwork does not have to be completely original to be considered legal, and that reasonable steps can be taken to avoid infringement.