Woman sues Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah over Kanye West’s Netflix docuseries 'Jeen-Yuhs'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, the directors of Kanye West’s ‘Jeen-yuhs’ docuseries on Netflix got sued by a Chicago woman named Cynthia Love who claimed the production harmed her and caused her emotional distress.
Love appeared in Kanye West’s 2003 music video ‘Through the Wire’ where she did a cameo. Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah were the directors for the music video too. Love’s problem with the docuseries is that it showed an extended version of her cameo that distorted her image and harmed her reputation.
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Who is Cynthia Love and what is her issue?
She appeared in the music video where she was seen dancing in the restaurant when the song opened. She was reportedly paid $20 for the cameo. However, as TMZ reported, she claimed in the lawsuit that she was in an "altered state and not capable of providing consent" at the time. Her reason for discontent is that in the documentary, an extended version of her clip has been shown which harmed her reputation among her family and friends and caused emotional discomfort.
The new documentary described her in a negative light that she has long wished to move past, said Love in the lawsuit. In these twenty years, she claimed she has changed a lot as she has now pledged sobriety for almost 18 years, mended relationships with friends and families, and worked in long-term jobs. However, the video’s portrayal of her has undone much of her hard work during the past two decades as many of her acquaintances who did not know about her past have now gotten to know about her allegedly dark past.
What did Simmons and Ozah do?
Love also claimed that instead of trying to contact her, the director duo just assumed she was dead. Simmons conveyed to her son via text message that they assumed she was dead. The clip has now reportedly harmed her reputation among her peers causing her mental distress, claimed the lawsuit. Citing the director duo got a whopping $30 million for the documentary, she sued them for a minimum of $30K in damages.
'Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy'
'Jeen-yuhs' is a trilogy documenting the life and journey of the 'Heartless' crooner Kanye West. As Netflix describes, "The lives of an emerging superstar and a filmmaker intertwine in this intense, intimate docuseries charting Kanye West's career, filmed over two decades." It premiered on January 23, 2022, and is produced by Chike Ozah, Leah Natasha Thomas, and Marjorie Clarke. This Ozah and Simmons directorial talk about the life of American rapper, record producer, and fashion designer Kanye West along with his interactions with Coodie Simmons.