Man Drops Federal Lawsuit Against Kanye West Over Video Shot of Rapper’s Visit to Skid Row
Feb. 12 2024, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
Kanye West has one less legal problem to worry about after a man dropped his federal lawsuit against the rapper.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Elijah Graham, a volunteer at the Los Angeles Mission, informed the court he was dropping his copyright infringement case against West.
As we first reported, last year, Graham claimed he took a video of West when the musician visited the mission.
Graham, an event planner for the mission, said West showed up at a Thanksgiving event on November 24, 2021.
The man said he captured a video of West talking to the crowd.
“The narrative God wants is to see that we can be redeemed in all these relationships,” West was heard telling the crowd. “We’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve publicly done things that were not acceptable as a husband, but right now today, for whatever reason — I didn’t know I was going to be in front of this mic — but I’m here to change the narrative.”
West added, “I have to be next to my children as much as possible. So, when I’m out the house, I’ve got a house right next to the house. I’m doing everything to be right next to the situation…I’m trying to express this in the most sane way, the most calm way possible, but I need to be back home.”
Graham said West took his video without permission and used it as part of an advertisement for his fashion brand.
He said he was no longer able to sell the footage to outlets since West released it for free.
The suit claimed, “[West], without permission or authorization from [Graham], actively copied and/or displayed [Graham’s] video on the Account and engaged in this misconduct knowingly and in violation of the United States copyright laws.”
Now, the case has been dismissed.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, West’s visit to the mission caused a bit of controversy. The rapper had a meeting with the mission’s CEO, Troy Vaughn, to help the homeless population in Los Angeles
In 2022, sources told TMZ that mission execs were frustrated with West for failing to deliver on his promises to help.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, West’s ex-business manager recently dropped a $4.5 million breach of contract lawsuit.
The musician still faces a $2 million lawsuit brought by his ex-business partner at The Gap and a separate lawsuit by an ex-employee who worked at his under-construction Malibu mansion.