Cam’ron may be chasing a big payout from J. Cole over their 2024 collaboration, but a separate court ruling means he’ll have to wait his turn, behind a photographer who already won a judgment against him.
A federal lien filed by photographer Djamilla Rosa Cochran has legally frozen any potential earnings Cam’ron might receive from his ongoing lawsuit against Cole and Universal Music Group.
The lien stems from a $51,221.50 judgment Cochran secured in February 2024 after successfully suing Cam’ron for copyright infringement.
Cochran’s lawsuit centered on the now-iconic image she captured of Cam’ron in a pink fur coat and matching hat during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2003.
The photo, which became a pop culture staple, was allegedly used without permission on Dipset Couture merchandise ranging from hoodies to shower curtains.
Despite repeated warnings from Getty Images, which licenses the photo, court documents say Cam’ron and his company Dipset Couture continued to use the image across websites and social media to market the products.
Now, that judgment is being enforced through a lien, which attaches to any money Cam’ron might win in his separate lawsuit against Cole.
In simple terms, if Cam’ron wins money from Cole, Cochran gets paid first.
According to court filings, Cam’ron says he recorded a verse for the song in June 2022 under the condition that Cole would either collaborate on a future track or appear on Cam’ron’s sports show, It Is What It Is. He claims neither happened.
Cam’ron also says he was promised final approval before the song’s release and that he hasn’t received proper credit or payment. While he is listed as a co-author of the composition, he says he’s not credited as a performer or co-author of the sound recording.
He’s asking the court to declare him a co-author of the master recording and to order a full accounting of royalties and profits. He estimates he’s owed at least $500,000.
That figure, however, may be out of reach—at least temporarily. Though the lien may delay Cam’ron’s potential payday, it doesn’t reflect a financial crisis.
The Harlem rapper has been vocal about his recent business wins, including a reported $20 million deal for It Is What It Is, which he launched in 2023 with a personal investment of around $120,000.
He also has a multi-million-dollar partnership with Revolt for his Talk With Flee podcast and continues to profit from his male enhancement supplement brand, Pink Horsepower.
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