Kanye West Fires Back At Photographer Suing For $150K, Claims He Didn't Steal His Work
Feb. 26 2014, Published 6:51 a.m. ET
Kanye West was sued by an Italian photographer last year who accused Kim Kardashian's baby daddy of using his photo titled "Lolli-Pop" as cover art on a mixtape featured on the rapper's website — but West is fighting back claiming he didn't steal anything.
Fabio Massimo Gammacurta sued West on April 9, 2013 for more than $150,000 and RadarOnline.com has exclusively obtained West's response filed on Jan. 14, 2014 in which he denies all allegations.
The original complaint states that Ibn Jasper copied Gammacurta's "Lolli-Pop" work and placed it on "West's blog and other websites for download as the cover art for his mixed tape 'F.M. Phenomenal Ziptape Vol. 1: It's Gucci Time.'"
The work in question can be seen below, which was included in Gammacurta's complaint:
But in West's answer to the complaint, he denied having any knowledge of knowingly infringing on Gammacurta's picture and "respectfully requests that Plaintiff's complaint be dismissed in its entirety as against him and that he be awarded his costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorneys' fees, in this action, and such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper," the answer states.
He also claims he "did not receive any financial benefit from such infringement."
It's not the first time though that West, 36, has been accused of ripping off someone else's idea.
As RadarOnline.com exclusively reported on Monday, after West debuted his A.P.C. x Kanye collection last month, several online commenters noted it had a striking similarity to designs by Rick Owens for DRKSHDW — which West himself has frequently worn.
And a jacket with a fur collar from West's collection was nearly identical to an Ermanno Scervino coat that both he and his pal Scott Disick had been photographed in as well.
Do you think West's self-proclaimed creative genius might be influenced by other people's work? Sound off in the comments below…