Frank Ocean has reportedly ended a legal dispute with Mexican restaurant chain Chipotle, by sending them a cheque for $212,500 with “fuck off” written on it. The fast food chain filed a lawsuit against Ocean last week claiming he backed out of a deal to record a song for an advertising campaign for their new app-based game, after taking a fee for the work.
The song was meant to be a cover the 1971 track Pure Imagination from the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory film. According to Rolling Stone, Ocean initially thought the video would be promoting responsible farming but when he was informed it would include Chipotle’s logo throughout, he allegedly backed out of the deal.
NME reports The company paid Ocean $212,500 in July 2013 when the video of the animated film that his song would accompany was 80 per cent finished, with the promise of another $212,500 to come after he had completed the track. On August 7th 2013, the deadline for the song, Ocean told Chipotle he would not be participating in the project.
“There was no Chipotle reference or logo in the initial presentation, and Chipotle told Frank that was an intentional element of the campaign,” read a letter Ocean’s legal team sent Chipotle explaining his decision.”Frank was also promised that he’d have the right to approve the master and all advertising.”
In response Ocean recently posted to his Tumblr, a cheque in the amount of $212,500 to a redacted company with “Fuck off” written in the memo section. The remitter name is written as Ocean’s real name Christopher Breaux. The singer posted a link to Wikipedia’s entry for “Defamation” right before posting the image of the check.
A spokesperson for Chipotle told Rolling Stone they have not yet received any money from the singer. “If/when we get a check from Frank, we should be able to close the books on this. Right now, all we have is a photo online.” The song in question was eventually recorded by Fiona Apple.
Watch: Chipotle’s The Scarecrow – Music by Fiona Apple
http://youtu.be/lUtnas5ScSE
