Since its launch in April 2021, Bored Apes Yacht Club (BAYC) has been on an upward trajectory, becoming one of the most popular NFT collections available. In fact, the popularity of BAYC even led to the launch of a spin-off collection called ‘Caked Apes‘.
Caked Apes is a collection of 8,888 unique, randomly generated NFTs created by artists Cake Nygard and Taylor Whitley. The collection, which was only launched in January, now faces its first legal battle.
Trouble in Ape Land as Legal Battle Between Artists Ensues
The creators of Caked Apes have become embroiled in internal conflict, resulting in them suing each other over the designs of the caricatures and the resulting revenue shares.
According to reports, Taylor Whitley has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal courts against four members of the Caked Ape team, claiming that they infringed on the copyrights of the digital designs and kicked him out of the project.
In response to Whitley’s suit, Cake Nygard and three members of the Caked Ape team filed a suit against Whitley, alleging that Whitley is trying to claim possession of their collaborative venture.
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They also claim that Whitley “contributed no original drawings to the Caked Apes creations.” In addition to this, the Caked Apes team has openly accused Whitley of improperly using federal copyright laws to have the collection removed from internet marketplaces.
On the Flipside
- Meanwhile, Bored Ape Yacht Club DJ duo ‘ESCAPEPLAN’ was recently signed by WME for all future engagements.
Why You Should Care
According to the filings, 9,000 Caked Apes NFTs have been sold since it launched. It has also reported $1.9 million in direct sales, and $225,000 from secondary sales royalties.
