Beyonce and Big Freedia Hit with Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Two years ago Beyoncé dropped, "Break My Soul," as the lead single from her seventh studio album, "Renaissance," including a sample from New Orleans bounce music artist Big Freedia's sinlge, "Explode [click here if you missed that]."

Now Freedia and Yoncé are being sued for copyright infringement from a local Nola bounce group accusing Freedia of stealing the catch phrase from their biggest hit...

From Verite News

A one-time quartet of New Orleans-area bounce musicians are suing Big Freedia and Beyonce for alleged copyright infringement and unfair trade practices over the use of the phrase “release a wiggle.”

The federal copyright suit, filed Wednesday (May 22) in the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans, accuses Big Freedia of poaching the phrase in her 2014 single “Explode.” The plaintiffs claim Freedia took it from a 2002 song called “Release A Wiggle” produced by the New Orleans-area quartet, known as Da Showstoppaz.

Beyonce, who sampled “Explode” in “Break My Soul,” a single from her 2022 album “Renaissance,” is also named as a defendant in the suit. Other writers and producers credited on “Break My Soul,” including the rapper and producer Jay-Z — Beyonce’s husband — are named as defendants, along with assorted companies affiliated with the artists and the making of the two songs.

Plaintiffs are seeking to be credited on both “Explode” and “Break My Soul,” along with royalties for future uses of both songs and damages tied to profits that Big Freedia and Beyonce have made from the songs.