The original sketch from LittleThings.com was first published on the female-focused website March 16 along with an article entitled, “Is Boob Sweat Normal? 8 Things Women Should Know About Sweating ‘Under There.’”
It’s described in the complaint as “a cartoon drawing of a woman with her left arm stretched across her body under her rib cage and a deodorant stick in her right hand.”
When Ludacris, 39, posted the drawing to his Instagram account in May, his version included the overlaid statement, “IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR,” the lawsuit states.
The post included a web link that led fans not to the Little Things site but to a promotional webpage selling Ludacris’ music, the lawsuit alleges.
As of May 23, the cartoon had at least 23,043 “likes” on Ludacris’ account, “and undoubtedly hundreds of thousands more consumers clicked on and viewed the infringing artwork,” according to the suit.
“Defendant’s cyber-piracy and infringing activities display a conscious disregard for Little Things’ intellectual property rights and are calculated to, and actually do, deceive consumers about the source and quality of the respective products and services offered by Little Things and defendant,” the filing states.
The company claims Ludacris was “unjustly enriched” and should pay.
“Little Things seeks a worldwide accounting and disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains and profits resulting from defendant’s inequitable activities,” the suit alleges.
Spokespeople for Ludacris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The artwork at the center of the fight was no longer viewable on Ludacris’ Instagram account Thursday.
The Grammy winner, whose real name is Christopher Bridges, regularly posts popular memes.
In the last week, he’s shared a series of personal photos showing him and wife Eudoxie Mbouguiengue enjoying a visit to the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.
Listen, people pay good money for promo art. We don’t blame the artist for coming for her coins.