HYBE America Inc., the U.S. branch of South Korean entertainment giant HYBE, has been sued for copyright infringement by acclaimed contemporary artist Daniel Arsham.
The lawsuit claims that Arsham’s artwork was used without permission in a recent music video featuring rapper Quavo, who is affiliated with HYBE’s subsidiary label, Quality Control Music Publishing (QCM).
According to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Arsham filed the lawsuit on March 31, naming HYBE America, QCM, Quavo, and five unnamed individuals as defendants. The artist alleges that his 2018 sculpture titled Quartz Eroded 1961 Ferrari GT was prominently featured in Quavo’s music video without his prior knowledge or consent.
The video in question was posted on Quavo’s Instagram and TikTok accounts on December 16, 2024, with the caption “Back To The Basics 2025!!” The artwork is clearly visible throughout the video. Quavo reportedly reposted images from the video to social media and tagged Arsham’s account in subsequent posts. Arsham claims that the defendants intentionally exploited his artistic reputation for commercial gain.
The complaint states that Arsham repeatedly contacted the defendants requesting the removal of the video and associated posts but received no response. He argues that this unauthorized usage caused both reputational and financial harm. Arsham also asserts that HYBE America was directly or indirectly involved in the distribution of the infringing content and failed to prevent its release despite being aware of the violation.
Citing violations under U.S. copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.) and New York Civil Rights Law (§§ 50–51), Arsham is seeking legal remedies on four grounds: direct infringement, vicarious infringement, contributory infringement, and violation of his right of publicity. He is demanding monetary compensation and an injunction to prevent further use and distribution of the content. Additionally, Arsham has formally requested a jury trial.
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