Beyonce And Jay Z Face A Copyright Infringement Lawsuit For Their 2018 Song ‘Black Effect’

Singer-songwriter Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z are on the receiving end of a copyright infringement lawsuit which accuses them of not giving a Jamaican artist, Lenora Antoinette Stines credit for her contribution to their single "Black Effect." The song came out in 2018, from the couple’s joint album, “Everything Is Love.”

The case was filed in the United States District Court Central District of California by Stines who seeks to be compensated for copyright infringement, right of publicity, and unjust enrichment.

As mentioned in the lawsuit, Stines "is 68 years old and she is extremely well respected and highly regarded in the island of Jamaica, and throughout the world for her artistry and wisdom."

In her complaint, Stines shared that she was approached by the couple in Jamaica, back in 2018, who then requested her to help them obtain dancers for a video via which they planned to promote their album and tour.

She further added that after she supplied some dancers for the couple’s video, she was asked to share her thoughts on love for the video. And the day she filmed the particular segment for the video, she was told that in order to be a part of the video, she "must sign" an agreement.

"When Dr. Stines inquired into the terms of the agreement, she was told that the agreement 'was just a standard document that everyone had to sign,'" the suit states. "She was then told not to 'worry, because the agreement was only going to be utilized so that her voice could be used in the Video.'"

Wanting to keep a copy of the agreement, when Stines asked if she could take its photo and send it to her son, an attorney, in South Florida to review, her request was refused. She "was explicitly told that she could not send a picture of the agreement to anyone to review."

At the time, Stines was assured that the recording "would only be used in the video, which was said to be for promotional purposes." But when the album released in June 2018, Stines was in “shock, horror, and chagrin” to find that “Black Effect” “featured the unauthorized exploitation of her vocals” in its first minute.

As the discovery left Stines “feeling violated," she seeks damages, legal fees, a share in the publishing rights as well as a writer's credit for the single.