Rod Wave is being sued by photographer Allan Salas for allegedly using an unlicensed concert photo.
Rod Wave is being sued by a Florida photographer who claims the rapper used his concert photo on the Last Lap album cover and promotional materials without permission, igniting a copyright dispute that could cost the chart-topping artist.
According to a complaint filed Thursday, December 11, in federal court, Tampa-based photographer Allan Salas alleges that a photo he captured of Rod Wave performing in August 2024 was used without his consent.
The image, showing the rapper gripping a mic stand mid-set, was later featured as the official cover art for Last Lap, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 56 weeks.
Salas says he was granted access to shoot the show but retained full rights to the images. He claims Rod Wave’s team was notified of his ownership but still used the photo on the album, merchandise and promotional materials for a 28-date arena tour.
“Even though the defendants had already commercially released the album, which contained unauthorized uses of the photograph, the defendants doubled down and tripled down on their unauthorized use,” Salas’s attorneys wrote in the lawsuit, according to Billboard.
The suit alleges that the image was also printed on T-shirts and other merchandise, further increasing the financial benefit to Rod Wave while Salas received no compensation or licensing agreement.
This legal challenge follows another major lawsuit earlier this year, in which Grizzly Touring LLC sued Rod Wave for $27 million, alleging he breached a touring contract and failed to return advance payments.