Jay-Z, Beyonce Hit With Copyright Lawsuit for ‘Break My Soul’

May 27, 2024 535 77 4

Jay-Z and Beyoncé have gotten hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit for Bey’s song “Break My Soul.”

Jay-Z and Beyonce Sued for Copyright Infringement

According to court documents obtained by XXL on Wednesday (May 23), Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Big Freedia, Sony Music Entertainment and Bey’s company Parkwood Entertainment are being sued for copyright infringement by a New Orleans bounce music group named Da Showstoppaz. In the suit, which was filed on Wednesday (May 22), the group claims the words, melody and musical arrangement from their 2002 record “Release a Wiggle” was used without their authorization or acknowledgment in Bey’s 2022 single “Break My Soul.” The group is also not pleased with the 42-year-old singer for using her house-inspired record in Renaissance, during the Renaissance World Tour and movie Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.

The group, which is comprised of members Tessa Avie, Keva Bourgeois, Henri Braggs and Brian Clark, state that their song was heavily sampled in Big Freedia’s “Explode” and then interpolated in Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul.” Meanwhile, Jay-Z is under fire for writing and producing “Break My Soul.” Despite the accolades that Bey has earned from the single, Da Showstoppaz claim they have yet to be credited or compensated.

XXL has reached out to Jay-Z’s team for comment.

Beyonce and Jay-Z Sued Over “Drunk in Love” Sample

This isn’t the first time that Bey and Hov have faced a lawsuit over a song they collaborated on. In December of 2014, the power couple received a lawsuit for mimicking the likeness of foreign singer Mitsou’s 1995 single “Bajba, Bajba Pelem” in the two musicians’ 2013 track “Drunk in Love.” Mitsou, whose government name is Monika Miczura, claimed that the first 13 seconds of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s record was taken from her original song. Monika added that Bey’s rendition of the single is hypersensual, and hers is about finding life’s silver lining.