Did Rihanna rip off famed photographer David LaChapelle in her new music video for "S&M"? He says she did -- eight times over.
The photographer, known for his work in magazines such as Rolling Stone, is suing the popstar for appropriating and copying his work in her new video, alleging that there are eight sequences in the video that steal from his well known photographs.
According to the Daily Mail, LaChapelle's suit says that Rihanna's video copied the "composition, total concept, feel, tone, mood, theme, colors, props, settings, decors, wardrobe and lighting" of his photographs, including key scenes such as her latex outfit, her walking of a security guard (which is nearly identical, he said, to his 2002 photograph for Vogue), and newspaper inspired outfit.
LaChapelle had nothing to do with the video, and his staff said that they were entirely surprised when it came out.
"Interns told us that fans were buzzing about the video and wanting to know if David had directed it," a LaChapelle employee told RadarOnline.com. "Then the phone in the office started ringing off the hook, everyone was like 'wow it's amazing - it's the exact same.'"
For a close look at all the scenes in question, click over to this side by side analysis.
Rihanna went risque -- though not quite as much as in the video -- at Sunday's Grammys, performing with Drake in a very revealing outfit.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.