Beyoncé is facing a lawsuit from New Orleans bounce group Da Showstoppaz, who allege that she and Big Freedia, who is sampled on Break My Soul, infringed on their copyright.
Beyoncé sued over alleged ‘Break My Soul’ copyright infringement
The lawsuit, filed in Louisiana, claims that Beyoncé’s song uses the phrase Release The Wiggle, which appears in Da Showstoppaz’s 2002 track of the same name.
This phrase also shows up in Big Freedia’s 2014 song Explode, which is heavily sampled in Break My Soul.
The suit claims:
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“Defendants used Plaintiffs’ words, melody, and musical arrangement from their copyrighted works to create an album as homage to ‘uncle Johnny’ who exposed the music and culture of the LGBTQ community of greater New Orleans, of which three members are strongly affiliated with themselves, all displayed in its full force — the tone, actual words, melody, musical arrangement of bounce music.”
Alongside Beyoncé and Big Freedia, Sony Music, Jay-Z, and others have been named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The filing further alleges that while:
“Mrs Carter, Big Freedia, Parkwood, Sony, and others have received many accolades and substantial profits from ‘Explode’ and ‘Break My Soul’ and the ‘Renaissance’ album, the ‘Renaissance World Tour,’ and the ‘Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,’ Da Showstoppaz have received nothing — no acknowledgement, no credit, no remuneration of any kind.”
Da Showstoppaz are seeking credit and compensation rights on Break My Soul and Explode, as well as royalties for future licenses on the tracks.
The group feels that their work has been used without proper recognition or compensation, and they are asking the court to rectify this situation.
Who are Da Showstoppaz?
Da Showstoppaz is a New Orleans bounce group known for their energetic style and significant contributions to the bounce music scene.
The group gained local fame in the early 2000s and has been credited with influencing the genre with their catchy phrases and rhythmic beats.
Their 2002 song Release The Wiggle includes the phrase at the centre of the lawsuit against Beyoncé and Big Freedia.
Bounce music, characterised by its uptempo beats and call-and-response style, has deep roots in the New Orleans music scene and has influenced many artists over the years.
Big Freedia, a prominent figure in bounce music, is also involved in the lawsuit due to the sampling of her song Explode in Break My Soul.
Freedia’s music has brought bounce to a broader audience, and she has collaborated with many high-profile artists, including Beyoncé.
Break My Soul, the lead single from Beyoncé’s Renaissance album, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and has been a significant part of her recent stadium tours and the accompanying documentary.
