Beyoncé Reportedly Sued Over Alleged Unauthorised Sample in 'Alien Superstar' From 'Renaissance'

• Hirose Enterprise and producer Shuji Hirose filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé over her 2022 hit Alien Superstar
• The plaintiffs claim the track lifts a spoken-word introduction from Moonraker, a recording performed by John Holiday, without clearance
• Court documents reportedly suggest Beyoncé's team tried to license the material but contacted the wrong rights holder

Beyoncé is facing fresh legal heat after a music company filed a copyright infringement lawsuit alleging that her acclaimed track Alien Superstar contains a spoken-word passage used without authorisation.

Hirose Enterprise and its founder, producer Shuji Hirose, have taken the Grammy-winning singer to court alongside several music companies connected to the song, which featured on her 2022 album Renaissance. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, reports TMZ.

What the lawsuit claims

According to the filing, the plaintiffs say they hold the rights to a recording called Moonraker, performed by countertenor John Holiday. They allege the spoken-word introduction from that track was woven into Alien Superstar without their permission.

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The case takes a further twist in the court documents, which reportedly indicate that Beyoncé's team later attempted to obtain a proper licence for the material. However, they allegedly approached Holiday directly rather than Hirose Enterprise, even though Holiday had transferred his ownership interest in the recording years earlier, effectively making Hirose Enterprise the rightful rights holder.

The plaintiffs further allege that Beyoncé and the other defendants were made aware of the rights dispute yet continued to sell and distribute the album without removing or altering the track in question. Hirose Enterprise is now seeking both financial damages and an injunction that would bar Beyoncé from continuing to profit from the allegedly infringing portion of the song while the matter is heard in court.

It is important to note that the allegations have not been tested in court, and the lawsuit reflects the plaintiffs' claims only, not any legal finding of wrongdoing.

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The BeyHive reacts

The news sent fans and observers to the comment section, with reactions ranging from disbelief to amusement.

@shatique77 brushed off the drama: "Y'all tickle me knowing very well Bey ain't getting 'dragged' nowhere 🏆🏆🏆"

@sacred_vibes_yoga_ came to the singer's defence: "Leave the Queen alone! She doesn't care! Trust! She is busy being a mama and a wife and creating more; leave her alone"

@jjkeyes drew comparisons to past controversies surrounding the singer: "Kelis again? 😂"

@karen.dukes2 simply responded: "😂😂😂😂😂😂😂"

Fans spot baby bump

In a previous report from Briefly News, Beyoncé's recent media appearance has gone viral after fans spotted what they believe was a baby bump.

The star was seen in a figure-hugging skirt that accentuated what many thought was her pregnant belly, shielded by an oversized coat.

Source: Briefly News