The Notorious B.I.G. estate, Republic Merchandising, and photographer Barron Claiborne have filed a lawsuit against iCanvas and several major retailers over alleged copyright infringement of the iconic "King of New York" photograph.

The lawsuit targets multiple defendants including:

• iCanvas (canvas-art company)
• Target
• Home Depot
• Bed Bath & Beyond's parent company
• Nordstrom

The dispute centers around the famous photograph taken by Claiborne just three days before Biggie's death in 1997, showing the rapper wearing a plastic crown. This image became culturally significant, with the actual crown later selling for nearly $600,000 at auction.

According to the lawsuit, iCanvas began infringing on Biggie's rights in 2015 through:

• Unauthorized use of his name, image, and likeness (NIL)
• Trademark violations
• Copyright infringement of the photograph

The company allegedly created and sold 108 different products featuring the "King of New York" image without proper authorization. When contacted in 2023, iCanvas removed some but not all infringing items and declined to provide information about the artists who submitted the work.

While most retailers removed the products after being notified, Bed Bath & Beyond initially kept them listed on their website.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages for:

• Copyright infringement
• Trademark infringement
• Publicity law violations
• Unfair competition
• False advertising

The case is ongoing, with plaintiffs indicating they plan to add more defendants as the lawsuit progresses.

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