Jay-Z’s Lawsuit Against ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Photographer Headed To Trial

Jay-Z

Jay-Z’s Lawsuit Against ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Photographer Headed To Trial

Jay-Z is going to trial over Reasonable Doubt photographs.

Legendary rap tycoon Jay-Z’s lawsuit against photographer Jonathon Mannion is entering the next phase. According to AllHipHop, court documents state that the two were unable to reach a settlement in the case.

Jay-Z claims that Mannion, a seasoned hip-hop photographer, sold photos of him without his permission. Mannion took a series of photographs for the “Dead Presidents” rapper in the ’90s. The shoot produced the cover of his 1996 debut Reasonable Doubt.

Documents from the case read:

“Plaintiff Shawn Carter and Defendants Jonathan Mannion and Jonathan Mannion Photography LLC participated in a mediation before the Honorable Terry Friedman (Ret.) on January 5, 2022. The parties were unable to reach an agreement to resolve this case.”

Mannion has allegedly been using images from past photoshoots for T-shirts and prints, which he sells. Jay-Z has alleged that the established photographer demanded “tens of millions of dollars” to shut down production. In court filings, Jay-Z argued:

“Jay-Z never gave Mannion permission to resell any of the images. Nor did Jay-Z authorize Mannion to use his name, likeness, identity or persona for any purpose.”

In August 2021, Mannion filed a motion to have the case thrown out. However, the judge ruled in favor of Jay-Z.

The trial is expected to begin on July 22, 2022.

Jonathon Mannion has photographed the most familiar faces in hip-hop and R&B. His portfolio includes Aaliyah, Nas, Outkast, Brandy, and Dr. Dre.

[VIA]