Beyoncé and her associates are facing allegations of copyright infringement over her hit track “Break My Soul.”
According to court documents obtained by Baller Alert, a group of plaintiffs known as “Da Showstoppaz,” consisting of Tessa Avie, Keva Bourgeois, Henri Braggs, and Brian Clark, allege that their song “Release A Wiggle” (2002) was used in the creation of Beyoncé’s smash hit “Break My Soul,” as well as in “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” and Big Freedia’s “Explode.”
And so, the collective has filed a lawsuit against Queen B, along with Big Freedia, Jay-Z, Parkwood Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, and more, alleging willful copyright infringement, unfair trade practices, and unjust enrichment.
The lawsuit continues to allege that Big Freedia violated the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act by using their work without permission; in turn, resulting in significant harm both financial and reputation-wise. Further, they argue Beyoncé, Big Freedia, and their teams cashed in without providing credit or compensation. Despite the profits and accolades, Da Showstoppaz claim they haven’t received any compensation. In short, they argue the defendants exceeded fair use.
In June 2022, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer announced her upcoming album Renaissance. Shortly after, she revealed the lead single, “Break My Soul,” co-produced by The-Dream, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, and Bey herself.
The Track samples two songs: Big Freedia’s 2014 track “Explode” and Robin S’ 1990 hit “Show Me Love.” “Explode,” a New Orleans bounce track produced by BlaqNmilD, boasts vocal samples from Big Freedia, heard prominently in the intro and post-chorus of “Break My Soul.”
The song, referencing the phenomenon of the pandemic era known as the Great Resignation, debuted at No. 15 before ultimately reaching the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
This wasn’t Big Freedia’s first collaboration with Beyoncé; they previously teamed up on her “Formation” for her sixth studio album Lemonade (2016).