Source: Amy Sussman/Getty
Beyoncé and Big Freedia are the subject of a new lawsuit. One group claims the two lifted elements from their work on 'Break My Soul'.
As mentionted with Digital Music News a four-piece musical group believe their work has been infringed upon by Beyoncé. In 2002 Da Showstoppaz recorded a single called “Release A Wiggle” at the suggestion of a colleague. Surprisingly, the song began to gain traction in their local New Orleans neighborhood and the band began playing shows. The group would disband in 2004 after Hurricane Katrina hit the city.
“Break My Soul” contains some words from Big Freedia where she says “Release ya wiggle” several times in the outro. This single also features Big Freedia's 2014 track “Explode”, where the Bounce Music frontman says “Release ya wiggle” throughout the chorus. According to the filing filed on behalf of the group, both projects infringe on their song. “'Explode' infringes on Da Showstoppaz' 'Release A Wiggle' twelve times,” the document states. “As the offending phrase 'release yo' wiggle” and many other essentially similar phrases appear prominently in the song. Any reasonable person listening to 'Release A Wiggle' and 'Explode' would conclude that the songs are essentially similar.”
Neither Beyoncé nor Big Freedia have yet to publicly address the issue. You can listen to “Explode” and Da Showstoppaz “Release A Wiggle” and compare below.