Rap star Ice Cube is attempting to slay Robinhood – again.
Cube has been battling with the financial services company for misappropriating his image in an email newsletter back in March of 2021.
The rapper/movie mogul sued Robinhood for using his image and flipping his popular catchphrase “Check Yo Self, Before You Wreck Yo Self” in the newsletter.
The rap star took issue with the image, which was taken from the movie “Are We There Yet?” along with Robinhood’s attempt at humor in a newsletter. The picture was captioned “correct yourself before you wreck yourself.”
Ice Cube said Robinhood was creating the false impression that he endorsed the company’s financial services, and therefore, he should be compensated.
Unfortunately for Cube, the judge overseeing the lawsuit dismissed the claim. The judge ruled that Cube “did not plausibly plead that Robinhood’s use of his identity suggested his endorsement of Robinhood’s products.”
However, the judge gave the rapper 21 days to refile his lawsuit, and he is done just that.
Ice Cube Re-Files Amended Complaint Against Robinhood
Cube, born O’Shea Jackson, filed his amended complaint earlier this week.
“Robinhood is an unscrupulous and predatory conglomerate that professes to be a financial services company for the everyday person,” Ice Cube’s lawyer Michael A. Taitelman snarled. “In truth, Robinhood is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is the archetypal example of an amoral corporation that places profits over people.”
In the new complaint, Taitelman labeled trashed the company’s CEO, branding him Vlad “the Stock Impaler” Tenev.
Taitelman explained how Robinhood’s actions fooled over 32 million who visited the website or saw the email into thinking he was associated with the company.
“[‘Robinhood’] intended to profit by confusing consumers concerning Ice Cube’s endorsement of their products and services. [“Robinhood”] intentionally and specifically selected Ice Cube’s persona in order to lure customers to use their products and services,” Michael A. Taitelman added.
“Given Defendants’ reckless and unauthorized use of Ice Cube’s persona in the Advertisement, and their stated desire to expand their existing customer base to include more Black customers, there is a significant likelihood that Defendants will continue to use Ice Cube’s persona in additional product lines,” Ice Cube’s updated lawsuit claims.
Ice Cube is asking a judge to prevent Robinhood from using his image again. He also wants actual, consequential, incidental, and special damages, as well as any profits Robinhood may have made from the advertisement.