Beyoncé Sued By Estate Of Murdered Youtube Star Over Sample In ‘Formation’

 

Beyoncé‘s hugely influential track ‘Formation’ came out in February last year, but now, a year later (almost to the day), she is being sued for using a sample that she did allegedly not have permission to use. 

Bey sampled New Orleans icon and Youtube star Messy Mya (real name Anthony Barre), who you hear at the start of the track say, 

Messy Mya was a rapper and comic with consistently-fluorescent hair and the ability to throw shade so withering that even the toughest of human beings would feel a deep and lasting burn. 

His Youtube videos were insanely popular, and despite the fact that sexuality was largely left a mystery (different sources have claimed he’s gay, straight AND bisexual over the years), Mya was a staple in the New Orleans gay community and the ‘bounce’ music scene.

He was shot dead at the age of 22, while leaving his girlfriend’s baby shower in New Orleans in 2010. 

Now, his estate is claiming that Bey has completely ripped some of his last words to use in her song without permission, and has made millions from the track. 

Mya‘s family claim that they’ve previously tried to get into contact with Beyoncé, but she blew them off. 

They’re now requesting USD $20 million in back royalties and other damages for using some of his final recorded words.

Beyoncé‘s iconic 2016 track uses voice samples allegedly taken from two of his most popular videos, ‘Booking the Hoes from New Wildin’ and ‘A 27-Piece, Huh?‘. 

Listen for yourself. Here’s Bey‘s ‘Formation‘, which features the alleged samples from 0:03 – 0:17, and 1:00 – 1:06. 

Here’s Messy Mya‘s ‘Booking the Hoes from New Wildin’ – he says “What happened at the New Wil’ins?” at 0:15, and “Bitch I’m back, by popular demand” at 4:11:

And here’s Messy Mya‘s ‘A 27-Piece, Huh?’, which shows the ‘Formation‘ sample “Ohhhhhhh yeah baby. Oh yeah. Oh yes, I like that” at 0:40:

For the record, the voice you hear saying “I did not come to play with you hoes…I came to slay, bitch! I like cornbread and collard greens, bitch! Oh yas, you besta believe it” is Big Freedia, who is a well-known New Orleans gay icon, and commonly known as the ‘Queen of Bounce‘. However, this A+ Vulture interview with Big Freedia states that unlike Mya, she recorded the part specifically for Bey‘s song.