Music

Beyonce Accused of Stealing Other People's Music

Des'ree files complaint against Beyonce for being ripped off of a copyrighted song

By Elena Gorgan, Entertainment News Editor

19th of April 2007, 14:45 GMT

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Beyonce Knowles is again at the center of a law suit, this time for copyright infringement. And, what is all the more shocking is the fact that the suit was not filed by some no-name in the music industry, but by another R&B star, Des'ree, who claims the bootylicious diva took one of her songs and covered it without permission.

Beyonce is now promoting the re-release of her latest album, 'B' Day', which includes, in addition to the tracks that also appear on the first version, a couple of new songs. One of these is 'Still In Love (Kissing You)', which also has a video that airs on the majority of music television channels. From the day it was released, people started talking about how Beyonce's version was nothing more but a loose cover of Des'ree's '90s hit 'I'm Kissing You', which was also featured in the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann's blockbuster movie 'Romeo and Juliet'.

Truth be told now, neither Beyonce nor her record label mentioned that the track was a cover, meaning, it was not officially promoted as such. But Des'ree, who also co-wrote the song, begs to differ. In the court documents filed yesterday, she alleges that her record company was initially in talks with Beyonce's people about the latter covering the song.

The only way Des'ree would have agreed with Beyonce covering 'I'm Kissing You' was that of signing a contract in which a special clause was to be included. Apparently, the one-time hitmaker (Des'ree is mostly known for her 1994 smash hit 'You Gotta Be') did not want Beyonce to change the name of the song or to record a video for it. When negotiations came to a dead end, the lawsuit states, Beyonce blew copyright law altogether and went ahead with the recording of the song and even shot a video for it.

Beyonce's 'Still In Love (Kissing You)' is featured on 'B' Day - Deluxe Edition', which was released on April 3, 2007. Des'ree is trying to halt the distribution of the album and she's asking for at least $150,000 in damages, plus 50 percent of the sales so far. Neither of the singers was available for comment this morning.

CLICK HERE to hear both versions of the song.

TAGS:

Beyonce | album | law suit

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