Kendrick Lamar released The Blacker The Berry, produced by Boi-1da and Terrance Martin
According to recently uncovered legal documents, Kendrick Lamar is being sued by a photographer over the cover art for his feverish single "The Blacker The Berry," which was released just weeks before To Pimp A Butterfly. Bossip reports that Giordano Cipriani (whose online portfolio is impressive but VERY NSFW) filed the lawsuit July 10th, claiming that Lamar violated copyright laws in using the image of two nursing black babies--an image which Cipriani shot and for which he received no compensation from Lamar.
The lawsuit, which was filed in New York Federal Court, goes on to Cipriani first shot the image in 2011 while traveling in Africa, and that Kendrick Lamar's camp never secured permission before using it to promote "The Blacker The Berry" across social media, web publications and Youtube. "[The photographer] is demanding an injunction against Kendrick to stop him from continuing to rip off his work, along with damages for the unauthorized use of his photo," Bossip wrote. The site also reports that Cipriani makes his livelihood off of selling photographs to publications. He is currently seeking $150,000 from Lamar for each time the photo was used to promote "The Blacker The Berry," and is demanding that his own legal fees also be paid by the MC.
