Ice Cube is firing back at the headline-grabbing Robinhood after it used the rapper’s likeness and one of his lyrics to promote the company.
The financial services company used an image of the 51-year-old rapper/actor from the 2007 film Are We Done Yet? and also paraphrased his ‘Check yo self before you wreck yo self’ lyric from his song Check Yo Self in a Robinhood snacks newsletter.
Cube is suing the company, which made headlines when WallStreetBets Redditors used the platform to short squeeze GameStop and other companies, for using the image and lyric without his permission, according to TMZ.
Firing back: Ice Cube is firing back at the headline-grabbing Robinhood after it used the rapper’s likeness and one of his lyrics to promote the company
Newsletter: Ice Cube is firing back at the headline-grabbing Robinhood after it used the rapper’s likeness and one of his lyrics to promote the company
No permission: Cube is suing the company, which made headlines when WallStreetBets Redditors used the platform to short squeeze GameStop and other companies, for using the image and lyric without his permission, according to TMZ
The March 8 edition of Robinhood Snacks was titled, ‘Why are tech stocks falling?’ above the image of Ice Cube and John C. McGinley from Are We Done Yet?, a sequel to his 2004 movie Are We There Yet?
Below the photo the caption read, ‘Correct yourself, before you wreck yourself,’ a riff off Cube’s Check Yo Self song from his 1993 album The Predator.
The rapper contends that, by using his image and paraphrased lyric, they are ‘falsely associating him with their brand,’ which he is clearly not in favor of.
Photo: The March 8 edition of Robinhood Snacks was titled, ‘Why are tech stocks falling?’ above the image of Ice Cube and John C. McGinley from Are We Done Yet?, a sequel to his 2004 movie Are We There Yet?
False: The rapper contends that, by using his image and paraphrased lyric, they are ‘falsely associating him with their brand,’ which he is clearly not in favor of
The lawsuit states that Robinhood is the, ‘antithesis of everything that Ice Cube stands for,’ calling the company ‘horrible.’
The lawsuit also alleges Robinhood has done this before, using images of other rappers like Jay-Z and Nas, but Cube doesn’t want to be associated with the company in no way, shape or form.
Cube also speculates that Robinhood started using his image because his business partner, Jeff Kwatinetz, filed a lawsuit against the company and has been railing against them in public as well.
Antithesis: The lawsuit states that Robinhood is the, ‘antithesis of everything that Ice Cube stands for,’ calling the company ‘horrible’
Speculates: Cube also speculates that Robinhood started using his image because his business partner, Jeff Kwatinetz, filed a lawsuit against the company and has been railing against them in public as well
The lawsuit suggests that using Cube’s image and lyric was a way of ‘getting back’ at Kwatinetz and Cube himself.
After the original article was published, Robinhood responded to the lawsuit, claiming they could legally use the image in question.
‘No, we didn’t use his image without permission. The image was licensed and used for non-commercial, editorial purposes in connection with a blog article,’ a Robinhood spokesperson said.
Getting back: The lawsuit suggests that using Cube’s image and lyric was a way of ‘getting back’ at Kwatinetz and Cube himself
A source close to Cube fired back with a statement on behalf of the rapper, making it crystal clear he does not endorse Robinhood at all.
‘This is Robinhood exhibiting lack of respect for the law or the people they hurt,’ the statement began.
‘Ice Cube did NOT license his image nor his lyrics printed next to his picture, and would never endorse Robinhood. When asked to take it down because he was offended, Robinhood refused,’ the statement added.
‘In addition, calling blatant propaganda for Robinhood’s trading app and online services merely ‘editorial use’ shows someone needs to send their lawyer back to school,’ the statement concluded.
No respect: ‘This is Robinhood exhibiting lack of respect for the law or the people they hurt,’ the statement began
Did not: ‘Ice Cube did NOT license his image nor his lyrics printed next to his picture, and would never endorse Robinhood. When asked to take it down because he was offended, Robinhood refused,’ the statement added