Kanye West Faces Lawsuit Over Unauthorized Upload of Skid Row Rant Video

Elijah Graham was present when Kanye West took the stage during a Thanksgiving gathering for homeless individuals on Los Angeles’ Skid Row two years ago. Graham is now suing the “Believe What I Say” rapper for allegedly publishing the footage on Instagram without authorization while working as a volunteer event coordinator at the Los Angeles Mission at the time. Graham claims in a complaint lodged in federal court in Los Angeles on Tuesday and obtained by Rolling Stone that he made the video on Nov. 24, 2021, with the intention of making money. When the video went viral, he believed West illegally took his income, bringing visitors to West’s Instagram account as well as increasing West’s revenue on the platform.

Kanye West was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit today over a video he posted to his IG.

An event planner at the LA Mission who recorded a video of Ye speaking at a Thanksgiving event accuses him of posting it without permission. pic.twitter.com/Myjsd3L0Hu
— Rob Freund (@RobertFreundLaw) October 25, 2023

Now Elijah Graham demands West to repay him. In his action, he requests an injunction as well as “actual damages plus disgorgement of all defendant’s profits attributable to the infringement.”West laments the dissolution of his marriage to Kim Kardashian in the video & thinks that it could have been saved by divine intervention. “The narrative that God wants for you to see is that every detail can be redeemed,” he continues, according to a clip of the film that People appears to have licenced. West allegedly sent his staff back to Skid Row one year after his Thanksgiving appearance to offer out “White Lives Matter” t-shirts.

Kanye West Gets Sued By Elijah Graham, A L.A. Mission Volunteer Over The Video Of Skid Row Rant

Kanye West was taken to federal court by a volunteer at the Los Angeles Mission, where the musician paid a visit in 2021. According to court records obtained by RadarOnline.com, an individual named Elijah Graham recently filed a copyright infringement complaint against West. Graham described himself as an “event planner volunteer” for the charitable organisation that provides homeless people with meals, hot showers, and safe lodging. Graham said in his suit that West appeared at the Los Angeles Mission for a Thanksgiving function on November 24, 2021. Graham stated that he recorded a video of West talking at the occasion. He said West obtained his footage and employed it to promote his fashion line and songs. “Defendant benefits from these activities,” according to the lawsuit. “West proactively copied and/or displayed Graham’s footage without his authorization or consent & engaged in such misbehavior knowingly in violation of United States copyright laws.”

He claimed that West’s use of the film rendered him incapable of selling the material because it was no longer exclusive. West has been sued by the volunteer for unspecified damages. West spoke to the audience about God at the event. According to him, God intends for us to see that all these relationships can be restored. “We committed blunders. I’ve made errors. I’ve done things publicly that were inappropriate for a husband, but right now, for no particular reason — I had no idea I’d be in front of this microphone — I’m here to rewrite the narrative.” “I have to be as close to my kids as possible,” he stated. So, when I’m not at home, I have a house right next door. I’m doing everything I can to be right there in the middle of the action…I’m trying to convey myself in the most rational, calm manner possible, but I need to get back home.” At the time, West said he intended to assist Los Angeles’ homeless population. He held a meeting with the mission’s CEO, Troy Vaughn. Sources told TMZ in late 2022 that the mission was dissatisfied with West for neglecting to follow through on his pledges to aid. According to RadarOnline.com, West continues to contend with a separate $2 million lawsuit from his former business partners at The Gap.