Two models who appeared in promotional images for Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer swimwear line are suing Roc Nation, claiming their photos were used for billboard ads without their permission.
According to legal documents reviewed by Billboard, two New York-based models, Janelle Delacruz and Tonoia Wade, filed separate but nearly identical suits on Tuesday (Dec. 16) alleging that the Jay-Z founded company hired them for an April photoshoot tied to the swimwear line, which launched in May.
Delacruz and Wade were paid $5,000 and $8,700 respectively, plus agency fees, under contracts that allegedly allowed their photos to be used only in social media advertising. The complaints claim the images later appeared on billboards in Los Angeles and three other U.S. cities, exceeding the agreed-upon scope.
Both lawsuits stated, reportedly in identical language, "Roc Nation had a limited license to use plaintiff's likeness from the April 30, 2025, photoshoot. Defendant knew that it did not have plaintiff's consent and did not make any attempt to notify plaintiff that plaintiff's likeness would be used without plaintiff's consent."
Delacruz and Wade argue Roc Nation was "unjustly enriched" and are seeking unspecified damages for breach of contract, misappropriation of likeness, and false advertising.
Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, is not named as a defendant or accused of wrongdoing.
Bassil Hamideh, the attorney representing both models, told Billboard that he and his team, "look forward to vindicating our clients' rights and trying these cases."
"We take models' rights very seriously,” Hamideh added. “We consider Roc Nation's unlawful conduct against our clients to be egregious."
