A woman who starred in the Kanye West documentary jeen-yuhs has filed a lawsuit against Netflix and the movie’s directors, claiming she was exploited by the project’s release.
Filmmakers Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah followed the G.O.O.D. Music founder for over two decades for the documentary, which debuted on Netflix last February. The film features early footage of the rapper and follows him throughout his career.
However, according to TMZ, a Chicago woman who appears in the documentary claims she’s changed her life in the 18 years since working with Ye, and the movie has dredged up a past she’s long moved on from.
In legal documents seen by the outlet, Cynthia Love claims she made a cameo in Kanye’s 2003 music video “Through the Wire.” She stated she was paid $20 for her appearance in the Coodie and Chike-directed visuals which begin with Love dancing in a restaurant.
However, in the lawsuit filed Monday (Apr. 17), Love told the court she was in an “altered state and not capable of providing consent” at the time of filming.
Furthermore, she claims the extended cut of the restaurant scene has triggered memories of a dark past. Love claims she has turned her life around in the year since and has been sober for nearly 18 years. According to Love, many of her friends and family were unaware of her background and jeen-yuhs, forcing her to confront her past.
In addition, Love told the court Coodie informed her son via text message that he assumed she had died and therefore never tried to locate her ahead of the documentary’s release.
In the suit, Love said the movie’s release has caused emotional distress and adversely impacted her reputation. She is seeking a minimum of $30K in damages.
