Following the release Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s video for “All The Stars,” artist Lina Iris Viktor claimed they stole her artwork for the visual roughly six months ago. Subsequently, she filed a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Now, the TDE superstars reportedly want that suit thrown out. According to TMZ, Lamar and SZA filed new legal documents explaining that even if they did use 19 seconds Viktor’s artwork, that’s not what made the song so pritable.
They say it’s K. Dot’s “worldwide popularity as well as numerous accolades, including a Pulitzer Prize and dozens Grammys” that made the song a success. They also reportedly give credit to the massive cultural impact the Black Panther film.
“All The Stars” was included on Black Panther: The Album, which was curated by Lamar and TDE’s Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith.
The scene Viktor has an issue with begins at the three-minute mark and wraps up at the 3:18 mark. She says the gold and black artwork in the background — titled the “Constellations Collection” — belongs to her.
In May, Lamar and camp denied stealing Viktor’s work in court docs filed by their attorneys.