The 'Texas Hold 'Em' hitmaker, the 'Who You Wit' rapper and the 'Chasing Rainbows' spitter are accused of using Da Showstoppaz's song 'Release a Wiggle' without consent.
- May 23, 2024
AceShowbiz - Beyonce Knowles, Jay-Z and Big Freedia are facing a legal problem. The "Texas Hold 'Em" hitmaker, the "Who You Wit" rapper and the "Chasing Rainbows" spitter were sued over "Break My Soul" and "Explode" copyright.
On Wednesday, May 22, Baller Alert reported that Queen Bey, Hov and Big Freedia were accused by former New Orleans group Da Showstoppaz of using their song "Release a Wiggle" without consent. The group also sued Parkwood Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment and more aside from the 42-year-old superstar, her hip-hop artist husband and Big Freedia.
The group of plaintiffs, consisting of Tessa Avie, Keva Bourgeois, Henri Braggs and Brian Clark, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the legal docs, which were obtained by the media outlet, they claimed that their material was used on Bey's "Break My Soul", which she created with Hov and other writers, and on Big Freedia's "Explode".
Da Showstoppaz stated that "their unique phrases, melody and musical arrangement" on "Release a Wiggle" was sampled without their permission, "any authorization, acknowledgment, or payment." The song itself was created back in 2002. Meanwhile, "Break My Soul" was released in 2022 and "Explode" in 2014.
In the court papers, the plaintiffs also alleged that Bey and Hov earned huge success from "Break My Soul" and "Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce" without "giving credit" to them. They also accused them of doing "copyright infringement and stealing their intellectual property."
Furthermore, the plaintiffs claimed that Big Freedia "violated the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act by using the plaintiffs' work without permission." It allegedly caused "serious financial and reputational damage" to the group.
In the wake of the lawsuit, Beyonce and Big Freedia were defended by many social media users. One in particular asked, "How come didn't sue Freedia 10 years ago?" Another noted, "The song isn't on Spotify. It only had 500 views on YouTube within 10 years of being uploaded. And if it's not copywritten, there's no case."
