Seven Ohio cops who raided a rapper often known as Afroman’s home final summer time are now suing the rapper after Afroman made music movies utilizing footage from the raid. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office cops allege that the rapper is profiting off unauthorized use of their likenesses, not solely within the music movies but in addition on merchandise created after Afroman’s social media posts and music movies went viral on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Cops suing say they’ve been subjected to loss of life threats, ridicule, popularity loss, embarrassment, humiliation, emotional misery, and different alleged harms and can proceed to endure until the court docket forces Afroman to destroy all of the merchandise and posts bearing their likenesses.
Ars couldn’t instantly attain Afroman, whose actual identify is Joseph Foreman, for remark, however Vice talked to him in January. Afroman informed Vice that after the raid, he suffered, too, dropping gigs and feeling powerless. He determined to create music movies for songs known as “Lemon Pound Cake,” “Why You Disconnecting My Video Camera,” and “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” to reclaim his good identify.
The cops’ warrant reveals that officers performed the raid to hunt proof of “drug possession and trafficking, as well as kidnapping,” The Guardian reported, however no proof was discovered, and no fees have been issued in opposition to Afroman.
Afroman was not current throughout the raid, and his music movies relied on safety digital camera footage and movies shot by his spouse on her telephone. The rapper claims that police destroyed his property and seized $400. “I felt powerless yet angry,” he told Vice. “These guys can destroy my property and I literally couldn’t do nothing about it.”
He mentioned that releasing the music movies was his solely solution to course of these emotions and that he was shocked when the movies went viral. “The only thing I could do was take to my pen and sing about the injustice,” Afroman informed Vice. “And to my surprise, it’s going over well!”
Some of the music movies and social media posts have since garnered thousands and thousands of views.
Ars couldn’t instantly attain Robert Klingler, the lawyer for the officers suing. The officers are Shawn D. Cooley, Justin Cooley, Michael D. Estep, Shawn D. Grooms, Brian Newland, Lisa Phillips, and Randolph L. Walters, Jr.
Klingler informed The Washington Post that Afroman’s dwelling raid was “lawful.”
Adams County Sheriff Kimmy Rogers informed Vice final month that whereas the workplace didn’t “appreciate” the disrespect from the general public after Afroman’s movies turned common, Rogers felt the workplace might “handle” it.
However, Rogers additionally mentioned then that “it’s type of tolling on a number of the officers.”