This archive report was first published on 22 October 2019.
Manchester-based artist Don Mupasi has spoken out about his artwork being used by Chris Brown without permission, highlighting the challenges faced by visual artists in the digital age.
According to Mupasi, he was made aware of the issue by one of his followers and immediately reached out to Chris Brown, although he wasn't expecting a response.
He also contacted the singer's management team, but ultimately decided to post about the incident on his social media accounts.
The post, which showed the two videos next to each other, received nearly 80,000 upvotes on Reddit, a platform where users show their support for content.
Mupasi says he wasn't expecting such a strong reaction and simply wanted to bring attention to the issue.
He also shared a personal experience where another artist used his work in a music video on YouTube without permission, gaining over 2 million views before Mupasi was contacted.
After weeks of back-and-forth, the record label offered Mupasi $250 (£190) in compensation, which he found laughable given the value of his work.
He notes that his normal rate for a project like that would be at least four or five times more.
Mupasi believes that artists should approach things honestly and credit each other when using their work.
He emphasizes the importance of being mindful of copyright and the ease with which people can use and share artwork online.
