Machine Gun Kelly facing lawsuits from two separate photographers

Rapper Machine Gun Kelly is facing legal action over allegations he is refusing to return a photographer's laptop which contains more than $250,000 -worth of recording equipment and data.

Matthew McMahon claims he was hired to work for the hip-hop star on a "24hr (hour)/7 day availability", but the hip-hop star "borrowed" the computer he had logged all of his footage on last year (13) and then failed to give it back.

Machine Gun Kelly, real name Richard Colson Baker, has been named as one of five defendants, alongside his manager James McMillen and label bosses at EST 19XXLLC.

The plaintiff insists losing the laptop, which has about 500 gigabytes of "work product and original intellectual property material in the form of photographic and videotaped footage", has hurt his business as it has prevented him from working on projects for other clients.

He is seeking damages for wrongful detention, conversion, civil theft and unfair trade.

Meanwhile, a separate lawsuit has been filed against another of the rapper's managers, Byron Kirkland, relating to a photo used for a limited line of white promotional T-shirts.

Snapper Dario Calmese claims he took a mugshot-style image of Machine Gun Kelly for a collection of shirts by Black Apple clothing in 2012, but not long after the artwork was sent to Kirkland for final approval, a black knock-off version of the same top began appearing for sale online.

Calmese believes Kirkland is responsible for having the photo printed on the cheap T-shirts and he is now suing for illegal use of the picture and for cutting him out of the deal. Online retailers Live Nation and Spencer's Gifts, which both stocked the items, have also been listed in legal papers, according to TMZ.com.