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A photographer faces charges after a Cardi B video shoot in New York City

NYPD handcuffed the 70-year-old after he ignored security boundaries near the set in Brooklyn.

Cardi B

Cardi B leans on a metal railing backstage with her tongue out, wearing a green fringed top and long blonde hair.
Photo: Chrisallmeid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A 70-year-old photographer, Steven Sands, was detained by NYPD officers near the set of a Cardi B music video shoot in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on Monday, HotNewHipHop and AllHipHop reported. Sands was handcuffed and issued a criminal court summons for disorderly conduct before being released without arrest.

According to AllHipHop, Sands arrived at the Sunset Park location before Cardi B did. A security guard approached him with instructions about crowd control and media positioning, then moved him behind equipment so he could not get a clear shot. HotNewHipHop's report characterized Sands as having trespassed, though the summons NYPD issued him was for disorderly conduct rather than trespassing.

According to Sands's own account, given to TMZ, he then asked to move about ten feet to an open area and was refused. When a security guard told him Cardi wouldn't want that, Sands replied, "I don't mean to be rude, but I don't care what Cardi wants," which preceded his removal by security and the NYPD.

It is not the first time photographer disputes have followed Cardi B's productions. She has previously been sued by photographers over copyright issues and has dealt with other security incidents, including a lawsuit stemming from her security guards' altercation with a fan seeking an autograph outside the Met Gala.

No additional charges beyond the disorderly conduct summons were reported, and it was not immediately clear when Sands is due in court. It comes in a busy stretch for Cardi B, who MusicSuey has also covered reaching Diamond certification for WAP and adding a Jamaica stadium show to her tour, as part of a busy year for hip-hop.

The facts

  • Photographer Steven Sands, 70, was detained near a Cardi B video shoot in Brooklyn
  • He was handcuffed by NYPD and given a disorderly conduct summons
  • He was released without arrest
  • Sands arrived at the Sunset Park set before Cardi B did, AllHipHop reported
  • Sands says he was blocked from a clear shot and denied a move to an open area
  • He told a security guard he did not care what Cardi wanted
  • The shoot was in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
  • Cardi B has previously been sued by photographers over copyright issues

How this checks out

Developing

Reported by 2 independent outlets

A few outlets have it so far, short of the bar we set for confirmed.

Cited sources 2

Every outlet that reported this, linked to what it published. Equal credits, in alphabetical order.

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