Kanye West Faces $1.5M Copyright Battle With Celebrity Photo Agencies Over Pictures of Him, Wife Bianca Censori

Kanye West, Bianca Censori
Alessandro Levati/Getty Images for Marni Srl

Kanye West has become entangled in a copyright infringement case brought against him by celebrity photo agencies Backgrid USA and Backgrid London.

Law360 reported that West is accused of using at least 10 of Backgrid USA and Backgrid London's pictures of the rapper and his wife, Bianca Censori, on his Instagram account and Yeezy website without the companies' consent.

In one picture, the "Donda" rapper is captured wearing a sleek all-black ensemble, with his gaze cast downward. Meanwhile, Censori could be seen walking by in a sheer nude outfit, holding onto a vibrant purple pillow.

In a different picture, the couple could be seen making their entrance at The Nuova Arena Restaurant in Milan back in February.

A separate image captured West stepping into a Balenciaga store, ready to treat Censori to a shopping spree.

Some of the images were allegedly shared on West's Instagram feed, while others found their place in his Instagram stories.

According to Backgrid, the controversial rapper allegedly shared, distributed, and used these images on his Instagram profile and the Yeezy website without permission, infringing on the companies' copyright, AllHipHop reported.

The legal complaint claimed that West unlawfully used the photographs, resulting in monetary benefits and boosted activity on his social media pages.

After attempting to settle the disagreement through amicable means, Backgrid now wants to be paid and seeks statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief.

Overall, Backgrid is seeking a minimum of $1.5 million from West, who has an estimated net worth of $400 million, according to Forbes.

The new lawsuit is only one of West's many controversial issues in recent years.

Throughout his career, West has faced numerous lawsuits accusing him of using copyrighted music without obtaining the necessary permissions.

Earlier this year, a lawsuit was also filed against the "All of the Lights" rapper for allegedly fostering a hostile work environment and failing to compensate his employees. The legal action involves eight former workers from Yeezy and some minors.

West is also being taken to court for allegations of sexual harassment, breach of contract, and wrongful termination brought forth by a former assistant who served under him for two years.

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