You have to admit a resemblance. (Getty/Division Films)

Last week, The Observer reported on a potential feud brewing between Nascar Grand Marshal James Franco and RiFF RaFF, a Texas-based rapper who had claimed that the role of Alien in Spring Breakers was originally offered to him, though he was later offered a smaller role as part of the character's posse. Franco not only disagreed, but claimed to not have even used RiFF RaFF as a major inspiration for the part, despite striking similarities in grooming and wardrobe.

Today the artist currently under Diplo's label and working on an album called NEON iCon responded to our requests to clarify the situation.

"Harmony Korine emailed me, i was gunna play alongside James Franco," RiFF RaFF wrote to The Observer from Amsterdam, where he's been for four days. "He said the Movie has my Energy."

The rapper, who appeared on the cover of Sneeze magazine with Mr. Korine in October, isn't able to recall if they discussed the movie, saying "we are friends we talk about random shit ... it's not always about Spring breakers." However, even that
Sneeze profile highlighted the tug-of-war over Alien's ownership:

Harmony’s cornrow-beaded drug dealer character, “Alien,” resembles RiFF RAFF. With “RiFFmony” being spotted trying to dunk on West Hollywood’s public courts, James-Franco-to-play-RiFF-RAFF headlines ensued. Not true. Alien, says Franco for the hundredth time, was inspired by a “panache” of southern rappers prior to RiFF entering Harmony’s world. If anything, RiFF was slated to be part of Alien’s “posse” but that didn’t pan out. What’s to follow doesn’t clarify much about the Spring Breakers mystery (Gucci Mane is in it, too). It does, however, identify RiFF’s flavor of Bill Cosby Pudding Pops and confirm Harmony’s basketball skills.

RiFF RaFF did admit that he was never approached by James Franco, nor has he ever been in contact with the actor. Still:

Ask FRANCO who his image was based on ? He always deflects the question and says "the character isn't based on RiFF RaFF..." Ask him who his image was taken from
Point out another famous white artist/rapper with braids, beads, loud bright color clothes, Texas Accent, gold jewelry, Name another person ever in the world who EVER did it like me ???? I Rest My Case ... It's a No brainer Here Folks

Well, Franco did claim that the role of Alien was based mostly on Dangeruss, who did have a cameo in the film and with whom Franco had collaborated with for a separate project while prepping for the role. (RiFF RaFF maintains he wasn't able to be in the film because he wasn't able to work within the tight shooting schedule.) However, it's true that the sartorial choices are way more RiFF RaFF than Dangeruss, who prefers less flashy clothes. And look, all the way back in March, RiFF RaFF was still feeling good about the whole situation, telling Fuse.TV:

"Even though I couldn't be a part of this project, I'm still glad that James Franco could play the role of me,” he said. “That's like if Denzel Washington was playing the role of O.J. Simpson. Even though it's not O.J. Simpson, O.J. Simpson still gotta be like, 'Denzel Washington is playing me.'"

There does seem to be some wires crossed here, with Franco thinking that he was making up the role based on whomever he felt fit the character, and Mr. Korine's friendship with RiFF RaFF obviously inspiring at least the wardrobe choice.

Of the film, which RiFF RaFF has seen, he has only positive things to say: "Yea i saw it its a good movie," he told The Observer. "Can't wait for the movie to come out #RapGameJamesFranco #SpringBreakers."

Clockwise from top: Franco, Dangeruss and Riff Raff

Since the beginning, rapper Riff Raff has been promoting the film, saying the Franco character was based on him. And the similarities are evident: the gold grill, the dreadlocks, the fact that one of his albums was called The Golden Alien and he and Korine appeared on a Sneeze magazine's cover together.

All was kosher. That is, until James Franco got upset over the idea that his performance could have been done by the From Gs to Gents contestant himself.

It all started with a baiting question from GQ's Matthew Sebra:

GQ Eye: With regards to your character in the movie, the rapper Riff Raff has said the role you are playing was originally meant for him. Is that true?
James Franco: None of that's true. I'll tell you why he could have never been offered the role. Harmony (Korine, the movie's writer and director) and I were talking about doing a movie together before Spring Breakers was even conceived. I had been a fan of his work and he wanted to do something and I said, "I'll do anything with you." We started discussing ideas and one day he sent me a treatment, which he said he's never done before, just to run it by me. And it was this idea of these girls going on spring break and then they meet up with this guy who leads them into the dark side. And then he wrote the script. So there's no chance Riff Raff could have been offered the role. Of course Harmony and I looked at some of Riff Raff's videos as inspiration, but he was one of a number of people we looked at. I would say the biggest influence on the role was this local Florida rapper named Dangerous. (editor's note: actually, Dangeruss). He's fairly unknown, but he was down there in the place, living the life, and he became the biggest model for me and he's in the movie.

He also told MTV a similar story, noting how Dangerous is actually rapping on stage with him during a scene in the film.
Let's compare and contrast, shall we?
Riff Raff:

Dangeruss:

Franco in Spring Breakers:

Hmm...it really is too close to call!

Complex seized on the story and interviewed the "I knew him before he was cool" Dangeruss about inspiring Franco, leading Riff Raff to wig out over email to the publication (and MTV), calling Franco a LIAR:

To put salt in the wound, Dangeruss gave an interview to the Tampa Bay Times today in which he talked about Franco's "real" friendship:

He actually flew me out to L.A. after we did the movie just on the personal strength that he felt like he liked me, and that I had a talent for music. And that was a separate project from the movie! So I love James. I just talked to him the other day. He says he got other stuff in store for me, so we'll see what happens, where that goes.

Well, good luck with that, Dangeruss. Let us know when that collaborative project comes out. Hope your name is still on the finished project, and what it was like to work with Marina Abramović and/or bondage slaves.

Update: It does look like Franco used Dangeruss for a second of footage in a weird music video he made back in July for the short film he did for 7 For All Mankind jeans: