Cam'ron Must Pay $50K In Copyright Case Over Using Picture Of Himself On Merch

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1013 Views
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Camron Lawsuit Picture Himself Copyright Verdict Hip Hop News
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A judge ruled that Killa Cam did not have permission to use an iconic portrait of him taken by another photographer on his merch.

Cam'ron will have to cough up some cash in order to cover his loss in a lawsuit against him from a photographer. Moreover, this is because he used the iconic picture of him in his pink fur fit for his Dipset merch, which he did not obtain the proper licensing for from the photo's copyright holder, photographer Djamilla Cochran. Federal judge William Martini reportedly ruled on Thursday (February 15) that this use constituted copyright infringement, and that Killa Cam must pay Cochran $51,000. About $40,000 of this covers "statutory damages," whereas the remaining $10,000 or so makes up for the photographer's legal fees.

"The court finds that a statutory damages award of seven times the licensing fee is sufficient to compensate the plaintiff for the infringement of her copyright and to deter future infringements by punishing the defendants," Judge Martini reportedly expressed. This lawsuit surfaced back in April of 2023, when Cam'ron and Dipset Couture received notice of legal action from Djamilla Cochran. However, this is not that surprising of an outcome when you look at how he had responded to the whole ordeal. The New York rapper never came through with defenses or explanations for his actions and did not legally or formally respond to this lawsuit, resulting in a default judgement.

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Furthermore, there are still a lot of Dipset fans out there who would love to rock some pieces like this. As such, there's still plenty of incentive for these parties to come to another form of agreement when it comes to the proper use of this photograph. But sometimes, big Dipset fans get clowned online, especially if they're an even bigger MC right now. Cam'ron recently defended Drake's fandom of the group during a recent GQ interview, remarking how it's no different than any other artists showing each other love.

"It’s no different from anybody else just trying to show love,” he shared. “A rapper that’s younger than me who grew up watching what we did. I f***ing grew up wanting to get a chain because EPMD had the gold link going on, or Big Daddy Kane‘s rope chain. When it’s somebody of Drake’s magnitude, you ought to show love. A lot of people want to criticize and say he’s [too] commercial. He’s the modern day Michael Jackson that can also rap. You got to realize the type of run he’s on." For more news and the latest updates on Cam'ron, come back to HNHH.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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