Beyoncé and JAY-Z have been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit over Bey’s popular version of the Renaissance song “Break My Soul.”
According to legal documents obtained by Baller Alert on Wednesday (May 22), a group called Da Showstoppaz accused the pair of illegally using their 2002 song “Release A Wiggle” in the aforementioned blockbuster. Big Freedia was also named in the case after her song “Explode” was sampled by “Break My Soul” – which is where the alleged illegal sample came from.
Plaintiffs Tessa Avie, Keva Bourgeois, Henri Braggs and Brian Clark argued that their “unique phrases, Melody and Musical Arrangement”. They also claim that the sample was never approved and apparently they were never given credit or payment.
Da Showstoppaz is seeking unspecified damages as well as appropriate credit for royalties and songs.
In other news, Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album, released in March, has now surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Chart Data confirmed the news in a post earlier this month, writing: “@Beyonce’s ‘COWBOY CARTER’ has now exceeded 1 billion plays on Spotify.”
The record has been a huge success since its release. According to Billboard, the album topped the Billboard 200 chart in its first week with 407,000 equivalent album sales. It was the biggest sales week of 2024 at the time, but Taylor Swift’s latest efforts have boosted that number even further.
23 of the album’s 27 songs also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, bringing the Houston native’s career Billboard Hot 100 total to 106. A woman with over 100 hits, it launched in 1958.
Former chart-topper “Texas Hold ‘Em” is No. 2, Miley Cyrus’ “II Most Wanted” is No. 6, and Bey’s cover of Dolly Parton is No. 2. ‘s “Jolene” ranked seventh.
Ten other songs from the album also reached the top 50, including “Levii’s Jeans”, a collaboration with Post Malone, “Bodyguard” and a cover of the Beatles’ “Blackbird”.
As for Cowboy Carter’s other achievements, songs by Beyoncé and Post Malone gave Levi Strauss & Company a huge boost. Shortly after the album’s release, the American apparel company changed its Instagram name to reflect the song title.
According to CBS News, their stock price surged 20% on April 4.
