Beyoncé is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over an alleged unauthorized sample used in her hit song “Alien Superstar,” according to court documents obtained by TMZ. The lawsuit, filed by Hirose Enterprise and producer Shuji Hirose, alleges that Beyoncé and several music companies used material from another song without permission.
Lawsuit Claims Rights to 'Moonraker'
Hirose Enterprise owns the rights to a song titled “Moonraker,” performed by musician John Holiday. The company alleges that Beyoncé sampled the spoken-word introduction from “Moonraker” for “Alien Superstar,” which was released as part of her 2022 album, “Renaissance.” The lawsuit claims that Beyoncé and her team did not obtain a license to use the sample before the album's release.
However, they allegedly obtained a license from Holiday several weeks after the album’s release. Hirose, however, claims that Holiday had transferred his entire interest in the song decades earlier and therefore did not have the authority to grant the license.
Alleged Infringement and Continued Sales
According to the lawsuit, Hirose Enterprise notified Beyoncé’s company of the alleged infringement but claims the record has continued to be sold. The company is seeking an injunction to prevent Beyoncé and the other defendants from continuing to profit from the alleged unauthorized use of the material, as well as unspecified damages.
Legal Action Against Beyoncé
The lawsuit names Beyoncé and several music companies as defendants. Hirose Enterprise is seeking legal remedies to stop the alleged unauthorized use and to recover damages. The case highlights ongoing issues of copyright enforcement in the music industry.
