Beyoncé Faces Lawsuit Over Unauthorized Sample in 'Alien Superstar' Track
Beyoncé is facing a lawsuit over her 2022 track 'Alien Superstar' for allegedly using an unauthorized sample from a 1998 house track called 'Moonraker' by Foremost Poets. The lawsuit, filed by Hirose Enterprise LLC and Shuji Hirose, claims that the spoken-word intro in 'Alien Superstar' was taken from 'Moonraker' without permission. The plaintiffs assert that they own the copyright to 'Moonraker' rather than the artist John Holiday, who reportedly transferred the rights to a New York label in 1998. However, the signed contract was lost in a burglary in 2005.
According to the complaint filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, Beyoncé's entertainment company, Parkwood, released 'Alien Superstar' without a license for the 'Moonraker' recording. Although Parkwood allegedly obtained a license from Holiday in September, the plaintiffs argue that Holiday did not have the rights to grant it. As a result, Beyoncé has been named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim they informed Holiday, Parkwood, and Columbia Records about the sample issue in January 2023, but the matter remains unresolved, and the song continues to be streamed online.
The legal dispute arises as Foremost Poets remain influential in the dance music scene, with recent collaborations like 'Night Gate' with Italian producer Fabio Vela. The case is ongoing, and no court date has been set yet. For more information on the lawsuit, visit Music Business Worldwide.