S. Samuel
Houston rapper Riff Raff is not falling back on his plans to seek a major pay day from the makers of this year's Spring Breakers flick after accusing them of using his image to create its lead character.
To add fuel to the fire, Riff has released a photo of actor James Franco posing in front of his own pictures and said he would likely hire a “lawyer team.”
Hive hit up the Raffster to press him for more details on the case and he obliged. First he pointed us to a recently Instagrammed (below) picture of Franco dressed up as Alien while posing in front of what appears to be an incriminating inspiration board of photos of Riff Raff. If the case goes to court, we won’t be seeing ol’ Jodyhighroller representing himself, though. Instead, he’ll be employing the services of a “Lawyer Team of course — this isn’t a game show.” Serious business abounds. If James Franco were to be called to take the stand during the case, Riff Raff told us that he’d want his Lawyer Team professionals to ask him, “Who demanded that you copy Riff Raff?” He also added that he has no current plans to trademark his distinctive image as “I don’t need to — everyone knows me.” (MTV Hive)
This week, Riff claimed wants up to $10 million from the people responsible for this year’s independent hit.
Riff Raff — the rapper and former MTV reality star — says he’s suing the people responsible for the movie “Spring Breakers” for $8 to $10 MILLION … because he believes he was the basis for one of the characters. Basically, Riff believes James Franco based his character Alien (a white rapper/gangster with cornrows and gold teeth) after himself … and therefore he should get a bag full of cash for his troubles. On his way out of AV Club in Hollywood last night, Riff offered up the logic behind his case … and it’s glorious: “It’s like if I have a front yard. And you’re planting soil and you’re planting trees and building peaches and houses and selling parking lots on my property … then I deserve to be compensated for some portion of that money.” (TMZ)
Tensions between Raff and Spring Breakers lead actor James Franco stirred up earlier this year.
Remember, if you will, that back in the run-up to Spring Breakers–it seems so long ago!–Riff Raff had a bone to pick with Franco. He claimed that Franco based his character in the movie, Alien, off the very real (and very dramatic) persona of Riff Raff. His look, too. Franco, of course, maintained that his inspiration was another rapper, Dangeruss. It was pretty hard not to side with Riff Raff’s point: Franco’s cornrowed character looked an awful lot like Riff Raff. (The Atlantic Wire)
Southern rapper Gucci Mane recently said despite his love for the film’s director, Harmony Korine, his own business commitments ultimately caught up with him during a sex scene.
“Yes, I was knocked out. I was tired. I had a concert down there in St. Petersburg, one of the days I had to shoot a scene. Same time, same night. We started shooting at ten o’clock in the evening until one or two o’clock. I was extremely tired because Harmony would work for almost 48 hours straight, I think. Even though Harmony is a close friend and a great director, he’s a hard boss. Make sure you put that in bold letters. [Laughs.]” (Vulture)
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