Giannina Antonette Oteto is featured on the infamous cover art of Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover’s, “Awaken, My Love!” album from 2016.
The photo, taken by creative director Ibra Ake, showcases Oteto adorned in a beaded headdress created by WXYZ Jewelry designer Laura Wass.
However, Oteto has been vocal for years, alleging that the multi-disciplinary artist and his team have evaded addressing legal matters related to compensating her for her contribution to the project.
She emphasizes that she’s not alone in this struggle.
Recently, she took to Facebook to update her followers on the situation and reflect on the mixed feelings she holds regarding this project.
The post was deleted but it read:
“Being able to hold an album that I’m on the cover of,” …”And having my bestie mom next to me to celebrate! My number 1 cheerleader! This album has been so hard for me to celebrate for many reasons, and for years I resented it even.
It put me through a lot but finally being able to celebrate it means a lot! Update: I resented it because myself, the makeup artist, and stylist (all black women) were [taken] advantage of and lied to.
“We received low pay. [They] promised residuals. But [we] never received anything.”
“The only person who received residuals was a white woman who created the headpiece even though she was not on set to work on this (but she also deserves it). After years of lies and silence then finding out statute of limitation complications… it’s been an exhausting, emotional, and overall sad thing to deal with.
So it took so much from me especially the fact that we all worked on it with so much love and being proud to represent black artists.
All of my lawyers’ communications have been ignored by [Childish Gambino] and his team. #bittersweet.”
We aren’t sure what will happen after her latest attempt at exposing Glover, he has not responded and the album is 7 years old.
