June 17, 2020
Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce have been accused of copyright infringement by Jamaican dancer L'Antoinette Stines over their song "Black Effect".
The dancer stated in papers filed on Tuesday that the couple didn't give her due credit for her role in the song.
Obtained by celebrity website TMZ, Stines said in the papers that she was approached by the couple in March 2018 to help them find the best dancers for a video promoting their "On The RUn II ' tour.
Stines said she was asked to record her thoughts on love and was informed that it would be used in the video "for promotional purposes".
She further stated that she signed a contract on the day of the filming and was told once again that the interview would only be used for promotional purposes.
After hearing ‘Black Effect’, Stines said she was was surprised to hear that the entire first minute of the tune is her voice.
She claimed that the lack of credit left her feeling “artistically raped”, and she is now suing Beyonce and Jay-Z for copyright infringement and violation of her right to publicity.
The dancer is also seeking damages and a writing credit on the song, alongside all subsequent royalties, according to NME.