Jay Z And Beyonce Being Sued By Jamaican Dancer Dr. L’Antoinette Stines
It looks like trouble is brewing for American power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce as it has been confirmed that Jamaican dancer and artiste, Dr. L’Antoinette Stines has filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against them.
The matter was heard yesterday June 16th in the United States District Court Central District of California.
According to Stines, the couple allegedly used her work for the song Black Effect, which was released in 2018 and was featured in Beyonce’s March tour of the same year. Stine said she feels “artistically raped” as she’s never received any proceeds or credit for the song. The song appears on The Carters’ 2018 album Everything Is Love.
In court, Stines said that in March of 2018 she was made aware that the couple was looking for local dancers to perform in a promotional video for a tour. She added that she recorded a clip in for them in which she talked about the concept of love, which she claims she was asked to do by them.
She said that she was told that the clip would only be used for promotional purposes and so she signed a contract to that effect. She claims that the same clip was then used as part of the song.
Her voice ended up on the track in the first minute.
She is heard answering the question “Can you tell us about love?” She replies:
“Hmm, well there’s love of children
Love of self
Love of God
Love of a partner
All of them have a different shape
But all of them is the same in the end
It’s about sensitivity, it’s about passion
It’s about unconditional giving of self to another person
And there’s love of humanity
That’s the love that is right now needed most
Love of humanity
But in everything, in all of that love, there is a soul
It’s like when you take some eggs and break them
And you take the shells and mix them up
Trying to find the ones that match
And you find the perfect match
When you find the perfect match
That compatibility results in passion
Results in unconditional giving of self”
Jay-Z begins to rap after that intro.
Stines has also requested damages in the case as she believes that their use of her voice violated her right to publicity.
Stines is a well known Jamaican dancer, choreographer, author, actor, and director.
She leads the L’Acadco A United Caribbean Dance Force which is based in Jamaica.
Stines is also credited as the creator of the first Anglo Caribbean Modern Contemporary training procedure called L’Antech which is a Caribbean contemporary dance technique that draws inspiration from African influences and Caribbean folklore.
There has been no word from Beyonce and Jay-Z as of yet.