Beyoncé Hit With Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over ‘Break My Soul’ Lyrics

Beyoncé may have already saddled up to gallop to ‘Cowboy Carter,’ her current history-making musical era, but there are a few people – fans and foes alike – who are still fixated on its predecessor: ‘Renaissance.’

Among the latter is a little-known New Orleans group that claims the 2022-released album’s chart-topping lead single, ‘Break My Soul,’ is breaking copyright infringement laws by including some of their lyrics without permission.

Details inside.

In a complaint filed in Louisiana federal court on Wednesday (May 22), members of Da Showstoppaz alleged Bey unlawfully swiped components of their 2002 song ‘Release a Wiggle’ to use on ‘Break.’

The twist? Instead of stealing it directly they claim she legally sampled the 2014 Big Freedia track ‘Explode‘ which also includes aspects of their ‘Wiggle.’

“While Mrs. Carter … and others have received many accolades and substantial profits … Da Showstoppaz’s have received nothing—no acknowledgment, no credit, no remuneration of any kind,” their attorney relayed before sharing, “The infringing phrase ‘release yo’ wiggle’ and several other substantially similar phrases are featured prominently in the song and evenly spread out across ‘Explode’s two-minute and forty-seven second runtime. Any reasonable person listening to ‘Release A Wiggle’ and ‘Explode’ would conclude that the songs are substantially similar.”

Freedia, a contributor to ‘Break,’ is also listed as a defendant in the suit that further claims the plaintiffs notified Beyoncé’s team about the allegations of infringement infringement last month but no action was taken.

Fans of ‘Break’ know its primary sample is pulled from the Robin S. 1993 House classic ‘Show Me Love’ (which is credited by Bey).

Showstoppaz join Kelis and Right Said Fred as artists who have taken to press over the last two years to slam ‘Renaissance’ for allegedly including samples or interpolations of their work without permission.