A group of seven law enforcement officers have filed a lawsuit against rap artist Afroman for allegedly using footage from a police raid on his Ohio home last year without their consent. The plaintiffs, consisting of four deputies, two sergeants, and a detective from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, claim that Afroman used footage of their faces obtained during the August 2022 raid in his music videos and social media posts, causing them emotional distress, embarrassment, and humiliation. The lawsuit seeks all of Afroman’s profits from the use of their personas, including proceeds from songs, music videos, live event tickets, and merchandise promotion. They are also seeking a court injunction to take down all videos and posts containing their images.
Afroman, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, his recording firm, and a Texas-based media distribution company are named as defendants in the lawsuit. In response, Afroman has vowed to countersue for the damage caused to his family, career, and property. The law enforcement officers were acting on a warrant that suggested probable cause existed for the presence of drugs and drug paraphernalia on Foreman’s property and that trafficking and kidnapping had taken place there. However, the suspicions turned out to be unfounded, and no charges were ever filed.
During the raid, cash was seized from Afroman, and when it was returned to him, hundreds of dollars appeared to be missing. A subsequent review by the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation found that deputies had miscounted the amount seized during the raid. Afroman is best known for his songs “Because I Got High” and “Crazy Rap,” which were both featured on his album “The Good Times.” He is also known for his political activism and announced in December 2022 that he plans to run for president.
