‘Alien Superstar’: Beyonce’s Parkwood Label Slams ‘Renaissance’ Sampling Lawsuit As “Meritless”

Beyonce‘s seventh studio album – the 2022-released ‘Renaissance‘ – may rank as one of the decade’s favorite releases among industry critics and music lovers alike, but its overwhelmingly positive reception hasn’t made it exempt from controversy.

From accusations of ableism in ‘Heated‘ to criticism over its sample of The Clark Sisters‘ Gospel classic ‘Center of Thy Will‘ in ‘Church Girl,’ slams from Kelis and Right Said Fred for alleged unauthorized incorporation of their respective hits in ‘Milkshake’ and ‘I’m Too Sexy,’ and a copyright infringement suit over its lead track ‘Break My Soul,’ ‘Renaissance’ tracks were riddled with challenges at the height of the album’s popularity.

Two years later, those hurdles show no sign of disappearing.

In court documents obtained by Billboard this week, lawyers for Bey’s label – Parkwood Entertainment – motioned to dismiss a copyright lawsuit brought this summer by indie label Soundmen on Wax Records over ‘Alien Superstar.’

Claiming to own the rights to the 1998 song ‘Moonraker‘ (which the music megastar sampled as the ‘Alien’ intro), the indie record company does not deny Bey’s team licensed the tune but argue they did so improperly.

According to the plaintiff, the ‘Moonraker’ sample was licensed from John Holiday, the artist himself, but Soundmen claims they obtained the rights from him as part of a distribution deal 28 years ago and thusly should have been the ones to clear the sample for Bey.

Parkwood’s lawyers clapped back by saying there’s no paperwork documenting the supposed transfer of Holiday’s rights, thereby absolving them of any wrongdoing.

“As plaintiff concedes, Parkwood obtained a master use and composition license for the relevant ‘Moonraker’ sample from Holiday,” write the Parkwood lawyers who later called the suit “meritless.” “That good faith, nonexclusive license prevails over plaintiff’s alleged undocumented and undisclosed transfer, which was never recorded.”

At writing, Beyonce has not publicly made a statement about the legal matter.