They were paid a “substantial portion.” – Beyoncé Finally Breaks Silence On Accusations Of Stealing Music Without Consent
American singer Beyoncé, 41, who has won 28 Grammy awards so far, is racing to the top for a Grammy award for Album of the Year for 2023. By winning the 28th Grammy Award, she holds the record of Grammy’s most-awarded woman in Hollywood. However, Beyoncé faces accusations from Right Said Fred that she did not get their permission before using their song, I’m too Sexy. The singer has spoken out regarding the allegations against Right Said Fred and claimed that their accusations are “erroneous and false.”
Beyoncé
Right Said Fred’s Accusations Are ‘Erroneous & False’ – Beyoncé
At the 2021 Grammy Awards, Queen Bey
Beyoncé calls Right Said Fred’s accusations ‘erroneous’ and ‘disparaging.’ After Right Said Fred accused Queen Bey of not seeking permission to use their hit song, I’m too Sexy, and the singer has dismissed the allegations.
In an interview at the Broadcast Music Inc Awards, brothers Fred and Richard Fairbrass claimed that the singer used their 1991 hit song I’m too Sexy sample in her song Alien Superstar track for the new album Renaissance without their consent.
In response, Beyoncé’s spokesperson called the claims “incredibly disparaging,” clarifying, “The claims made by Right Said Fred that singer used ‘I’m Too Sexy’ in ‘Alien Superstar’ without permission are erroneous and incredibly disparaging.”
Queen Bey’s rep said, “Permission was not only granted for its use, but they publicly spoke of their gratitude for being on the album.”
They continued, “No sound recording from I’m Too Sexy was used within Alien Superstar, except the song’s composition, and it provided receipts to back it up.”
Furthermore, the singer’s spokesperson mentioned that “the Right Said Fred writers own more than any other singular writer and have co-writer credit. This accusation is false”.
Right Said Fred revealed earlier that artists like Drake and Taylor Swift also sought permission from them before using the melody of this song.
Beyoncé Claims Right Said Fred Were Paid For The Song
American Singer Beyoncé
The brothers Fred and Richard called Beyoncé “arrogant” for allegedly sampling their hit song I’m Too Sexy on her new song Alien Superstar without asking or paying them, according to an interview.
According to Beyoncé’s camp, Right Said Fred’s accusations are erroneous and false. The singer’s team also states that Right Said Fred expressed their gratitude for appearing on her Renaissance album, and they were paid a “substantial portion.”
On July 2022, before Renaissance was released, Right Said Fred’s verified Twitter account wrote, “It’s nice to get a writing credit on the new ‘Beyoncé album.”
There are also samples of I’m Too Sexy in Drake‘s Way 2 Sexy and Taylor Swift‘s Look What You Made Me Do.
In the wake of her latest album’s release, Beyoncé has faced similar accusations. Kelis criticized Queen Bey last month for allegedly using her 2003 song Milkshake on her album track Energy without her consent. The song has since been removed from Spotify.
Aside from Renaissance‘s success, the album has also received criticism for its lyrics. For instance, the song Heated includes ableist lyrics.
UPDATE: Beyoncé has officially removed Kelis’ “Milkshake” interpolation from her Renaissance track “Energy.” Kelis’ name has also been removed from the song’s credits on streaming services, but the original version where Kelis’ “la-la,la,la,la” line from “Milkshake” was featured is still available on YouTube. News of Beyoncé’s decision to cut the sample came after the singer’s reps confirmed that she would also be removing the ableist term “spaz” in her song “Heated.”
According to BBC News, a drum sample, based either on “Milkshake” or an earlier Kelis track called “Get Along With You,” remains on the song.
PREVIOUS: Beyoncé finally dropped her highly anticipated album, Renaissance, as the follow-up to 2016’s Lemonade. In June 2022, Bey dropped the “Show Me Love”-sampled lead single, “Break My Soul,” as an homage to the house music genre with assistance from rapper Big Freedia. Other songs on Bey’s new album include samples and interpolations, including “Energy,” which caused quite the stir once it dropped on July 29. Musician Kelis called out Beyoncé for allegedly interpolating her song, “Milkshake,” without permission on Instagram.
“Milkshake” was released in 2003 and produced by The Neptunes, a.k.a Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo. According to Genius, both Pharrell and Chad are credited as writers on Beyoncé’s “Energy.” Kelis is only credited for vocals as her song was interpolated.
“My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties [Beyoncé, Pharrell, and Chad] involved is astounding,” Kelis commented from her company Bounty & Full’s account on a fan’s post about the interpolation. “I heard about this the same way everyone else did. Nothing is ever as it seems, some of the people in this business have no soul or integrity and they have everyone fooled.” In a separate comment, she went on to say that the new track was not a collab, but “theft.”
Kelis also took to Instagram Live on her own profile, and then saved it as a Reel for others to watch after it took place. “I said what I said, cause it’s the truth. You don’t have to like it or agree. Facts are facts,” she captioned the post. “If you’re a sheep keep it movin this convo will be over your head. I didn’t ask for this, but I’m not afraid of it either.”
In the video, she called out both Beyoncé and The Neptunes for allegedly interpolating her song and claimed that they did not reach out to her for permission. “[Beyoncé] is one issue because it was stupid and disrespectful and she should have at least reached out,” Kelis said. “But the real issue is the fact that the people like Pharrell and like Chad. Pharell knows better. This is a direct hit at me. He does this stuff all the time. It’s very petty. And the reality is it’s frustrating.” Kelis went on to say that rising star Ashnikko, who has also sampled her work in new songs, had directly reached out to her for permission. “It’s just common decency,” she said.
Kelis claimed that she “had beef” with The Neptunes before her interpolation on “Energy.” In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, she called out the production duo for “blatantly [lying] to and trick[ing]” her when it came to legal rights to her first two albums. “I was told we were going to split the whole thing 33/33/33, which we didn’t do,” she said in the interview. “Their argument is: ‘Well, you signed it.’ I’m like: ‘Yeah, I signed what I was told, and I was too young and too stupid to double-check it.'”
According to an interview with Good Morning Britain, Robin S. (the original artist of “Show Me Love,” which Bey sampled on “Break My Soul”) was not contacted prior to the new song’s release. Robin claimed that she learned about the sample because her son told her she was “trending all over the place.” She did, however, go on to thank Beyoncé and Jay Z for “giving her her flowers” while she was still alive.
Beyoncé and her team have yet to comment.
