Halle Berry is used to rappers using her name in their music, but never her image and likeness.
Canadian chart-topper Drake is at the root of the latest internet controversy after the Oscar-winning actress objected to the latest promo for his new single “Slime You Out” featuring SZA.
It seems that the self-proclaimed Champagne Papi used a Getty Image of Berry getting slimed at the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards to promote the new track. But he forgot to get her approval before putting it out.
After the image was released to the public, Berry shared a cryptic post on Instagram that read, “Sometimes you have to be the bigger guy … even if you’re a woman!”
In response, one commenter tagged her asking, “What are your thoughts of drake using that picture of you for his single?”
She answered him a few hours later, “Didn’t get my permission. That’s not cool I thought better of him!”
Berry continued, writing, “Hence my post today. When people you admire disappoint you you have to be the bigger person and move on !”
A few fans were just as riled up as she was, suggesting that she sue Drake. Meanwhile, others agreed he should have asked out of respect.
“@halleberry is an international treasure. That move ain’t cool. Respect!”
“Why not be flattered?”
“Drake ain’t sh*t compared to THE MISS HALLE BERRY ok He don’t compete where he don’t even compare. Simply outta respect he shoulda just asked her.”
“It’s the Principle people You get it.. you get it.. you don’t ..ohhh well… it’s the principle!”
“Take em to court @halleberry !!”
Interestingly enough, while Berry might be upset about the use of the picture, she has no legal rights to it.
An X user tweeted, “Christopher Polk took this picture for Getty Images, which is available to purchase rights for usage. I love you Halle, but you don’t own the picture so you can’t dictate how it’s use.”
Since Getty Images owns the picture, they can license it to people for a fee. The standard editorial rights, which would not apply to Drake, are $175 for a small image, $375 for a medium, and $499 for a large.
If Drake or his OVO label licensed the work, it would have been under Custom Rights.
Christopher Polk took this picture for Getty Images, which is available to purchase rights for usage.
— JenMarie.eth/lens/tez ➡️ building in Web3👷🏽♀️🧱 (@jenmarieinc) September 16, 2023
I love you Halle, but you don’t own the picture so you can’t dictate how it’s used 🙄 https://t.co/01HiWxcSKm pic.twitter.com/SfXxRLdN6r
The song, “Slime You Out,” has gotten a lot of attention, particularly since Drake and SZA dated years ago. This is also the second controversy that the two have had since the Toronto rapper revealed their past relationship.
In October 2020 Drake dropped the “Savage Mode II” track “Mr. Right Now” with 21 Savage and producer Metro Boomin. “Yeah, said she wanna f##k to some SZA, wait / ’Cause I used to date SZA back in ’08,” one line from the lyrics goes.
RELATED: SZA Confirms Former Relationship with Drake but Claims He Got the Year Wrong
Fans immediately hopped on that line, because “back in ’08” means the “SOS” songstress would have been 17 and Drake would have been 22 at the time.
SZA took to her then-Twitter account and wrote, “So It was actually 2009 lol .. in this case a year of poetic rap license mattered lol I think he jus innocently rhymed 08 w wait . Anybody who really knows me and was around during this time can confirm.. it’s all love all peace.”
Both Drake and SZA have amazing chemistry together. But it is shocking that this is the first time the two have recorded together.
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