Kendrick Lamar has been accused of using the work of a British-Liberian artist without permission in the video for “All the Stars,” his collaboration with SZA.
Lina Iris Viktor is alleging copyright violation, in a letter from her lawyer to Lamar’s label head Anthony Tiffith.
She claims her gold artwork from her series “Constellations” appears for 19 seconds around the 2:59 mark in the video, which is for a track from the Black Panther soundtrack.
Viktor says Marvel, the studio behind the movie, twice tried to secure rights to use the artwork in the film but she declined.
Viktor’s lawyer Christopher Robinson called the alleged infringement “willful and egregious” and said the artist wants a public apology and compensation.
“Cultural appropriation is something that continually happens to African-American artists,” Viktor told The New York Times. “I want to make a stand.
“It’s an ethical issue, because what the whole film purports is that it’s about black empowerment, African excellence — that’s the whole concept of the story. And at the same time they’re stealing from African artists.”
No one involved in the video, including director Dave Meyers, has publicly responded to the allegation.