Beyoncé might not be a stranger to the spotlight, but this time it’s not for a dazzling red carpet appearance or a smash hit song.
The multiple award-winning singer, Beyoncé is being sued by the group “Da Showstoppaz,” along with Big Freedia for copyright infringement.
The group comprising Henri Braggs, Brian Clark, Tessa Avie, and Keva Bourgeois are the plaintiffs.
The lawsuit filed in Louisiana states that both musicians appropriated parts of their 2002 song Release A Wiggle without giving proper credit or authorization.
Da Showstoppaz asserts that Big Freedia “deliberately took” the “words, melody, and musical arrangement” of their song for her 2014 song Explode.
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They claimed that Beyoncé’s song Break My Soul used samples of their 2002 song Release A Wiggle without their consent.
The Halo star and her crew are said to have utilized portions of the song also in Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, which resulted in huge success.
They claim this is an obvious intellectual property theft and copyright violation.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Big Freedia used the plaintiffs’ work without permission, violating the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Da Showstoppaz is said to have suffered significant financial and reputational harm due to this.
Da Showstoppaz contended that the defendants profited handsomely from their work without giving them credit or payment, going well beyond fair usage.
Finally, Da Showstoppaz claims that they haven’t seen or seen a penny despite all the earnings and accolades of the defendants.
