Tupac Shakur Photographer Sues Macy’s, Urban Outfitters for Using His Photos Without Permission
So long as they exist, images of the late, great Tupac Shakur will always be worthwhile additions to posters, coffee mugs, hoodies and T-shirts. That's all well and good—just as long as you secure the permission to do so. According to legendary photographer Chi Modu, that's something Macy's and Urban Outfitters failed to do when they used Tupac photos he shot over two decades ago for some of their new merchandise.
TMZ reports that Modu, who's also shot pictures of Mobb Deep, Snoop Dogg and many more, claims a merchandising company used some Tupac photos he shot to produce a ton of apparel. According to legal documents, the merchandising company in turn sold the gear to Macy's and Urban Outfitters, who in turn sold them to the public at large.
While Modu admits that he did once have an agreement with the merchandising company in question, he claims that deal expired in July 2016. Now, he's suing the merchandising company, Urban Outfitters and Macy's for all of the profits they've gained from the merch. Neither Macy's nor Urban Outfitters have responded to TMZ's request for comment.
This is far from the first time a Tupac photographer has sued over the usage of their photos. Back in July, photographer Mike Miller sued Kendall and Kylie Jenner for using Tupac images he shot for their T-shirts.
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