Cam’ron is being ordered to pay a photographer $50,000 after he used a copyrighted photo of himself on Dipset clothing without permission.
Cam’ron Ordered to Pay Photographer $50,000 for Using Copyrighted Photo
On Thursday (Feb. 15), Federal Judge William Martini ruled that a picture Cam’ron had used on Dipset merch constituted copyright infringement, according to court documents obtained by XXL. The photo in question is the famous picture of Cam wearing a pink fur coat and headband while holding a matching flip phone.
The ruling comes after photographer Djamilla Cochran sued the rapper and his company, Dipset Couture, for using the picture on merch without her permission back in April of 2023.
“The court finds that a statutory damages award of seven times the licensing fee is sufficient to compensate the plaintiff for the infringement of her copyright and to deter future infringements by punishing the defendants,” the judge ruled.
As a result, Cam must pay $51,221.50. Of this amount, $40,530 is being paid in “statutory damages” and $10,691 is being paid to support Cochran’s legal fees. The ruling comes as no surprise considering Cam never responded to the lawsuit or offered any defenses.
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Cam’ron Sued for Using Famous Pink Fur Photo
The photo was taken at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in February of 2003. It’s arguably the most recognizable image of the Dipset MC and one of the most memorable hip-hop pictures from the early 2000s. In the years since the photo was taken, Cam has displayed it across a ton of merchandise including shower curtains, socks, beach towels, jewelry, hoodies, bikinis and more. The items have all been promoted via the Purple Haze rapper’s own Instagram page.