Rapper Afroman has been sued by seven law enforcement officials on the grounds that he inappropriately used film from a police raid on his Ohio home last year in one of his music videos.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office’s four deputies, two sergeants, and a detective filed the lawsuit earlier this month, alleging a violation of privacy. None of the other law enforcement personnel who took part in the operation are listed as plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs claim that the rapper, whose actual name is Joseph Foreman, utilized images of their faces from the raid in music videos and social media posts without getting their permission. They say they have suffered “emotional distress, embarrassment, ridicule, loss of reputation and humiliation.”
The officers want all profits from Foreman’s Afroman brand, under which he sells beer, marijuana, T-shirts, and other goods, as well as the earnings from the songs, music videos, and live event tickets that in some way use their personas. Additionally, they ask the court for an order to have any recordings and posts featuring their personas removed.
Foreman, his recording company, and a Texas-based media distribution business are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Foreman promised, in an Instagram post on Wednesday, to countersue “for the undeniable damage this had on my clients, family, career, and property.”
Police were responding to a warrant that indicated there was probable cause to believe that Foreman’s property would contain drugs and drug paraphernalia. They also suggested kidnapping and trafficking had taken place. However, it turned out that those concerns were wrong. No probative criminal evidence was uncovered during the raid and no charges were filed.
When money seized during the raid was given back to Foreman, hundreds of dollars were missing. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation said the money had merely been miscounted. A broken door, gate, and other damaged property were not addressed.
Foreman’s songs “Because I Got High” and “Crazy Rap,” both of which were included on his album “The Good Days,” are his most well-known works. He also made his intentions to run for president public last December and is well-recognized for his political activism.
