Beyonce and Jay-Z are back in the news after using a portrait of Duchess Meghan Markle in their acceptance speech for Best International Group Wednesday at the Brit Awards.
The powerhouse music couple did not pay the artist who created the Mona Lisa-like Markle portrait showcased in their speech.
Beyonce shared the video on her Instagram and included a note to the Duchess of Sussex congratulating her on her pregnancy, as Markle had her baby shower Wednesday in New York City. (RELATED: Amal Clooney And Serena Williams Throwing Meghan Markle Baby Shower In NYC)
Bey captioned a still photo “in honor of Black History Month, we bow down to one of our Melanated Monas. Congrats on your pregnancy!”
Artist, Tim O’Brien, painted the oil portrait showcased by Beyonce and Jay-Z originally as a magazine cover for sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, which Markle was a member of. He told TMZ that he was shocked and honored when he saw the painting behind the pair during the video.
However, O’Brien isn’t looking for compensation from the superstars for using his illustration.
This man seems really chill for someone who just lost $75 off a painting and got zero recognition from the superstars. I’m impressed. Here is a perfect opportunity to receive some money from two of the most famous people in the world, and he isn’t taking it.
I guess he does get to say that Beyonce and Jay-Z used his work. I’d also guess he sells a ton of copies of this specific illustration now just because the pair used it.