Beyoncé is facing legal action over allegations that she improperly sampled copyrighted material on one of her popular tracks from the Renaissance album, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
Hirose Enterprise and producer Shuji Hirose have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the artist and several music companies, claiming unauthorized use of a sample in the song "Alien Superstar," which appeared on Beyoncé's 2022 album.
The plaintiffs assert ownership rights to a composition titled "Moonraker," performed by musician John Holiday. According to the complaint, Beyoncé incorporated the spoken-word introduction from this track into "Alien Superstar" without securing appropriate authorization.
The lawsuit alleges that no license was obtained prior to the album's release. While Beyoncé's team did secure a license several weeks after Renaissance became available to the public, the plaintiffs contend this agreement was reached only with performer Holiday himself. Hirose Enterprise maintains that Holiday had transferred his complete interest in the composition decades earlier, rendering any subsequent licensing arrangement with him invalid.
Despite receiving notice of the alleged infringement, Hirose Enterprise claims Beyoncé's company has continued commercial distribution of the recording. The plaintiffs are now seeking a court injunction to halt further sales and distribution of the track, along with unspecified monetary damages for the alleged unauthorized use of their copyrighted material.
The legal dispute centers on the fundamental question of who held valid licensing authority for the sample at the time of the album's release and whether proper permissions were secured through the correct rights holders. The outcome could have significant implications for how the music industry navigates the complex landscape of sampling permissions and copyright ownership transfers.