Just shortly after announcing her pregnancy, Beyoncé is now locked in a legal battle over a sample she used in her hit “Formation.”
Bey is being sued by the estate of Messy Mya, a YouTube star who was shot and killed in 2010 and whose voice can be heard at the beginning of the track.
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According to TMZ, the estate of Anthony Barré, aka Messy Mya, is suing the singer for using the sample without permission. The estate adds that when they reached out about the sample, Beyoncé blew them off. Barré’s estate is asking for over $20 million in back royalties and damages.
“Formation” was released exclusively via Tidal as a free download and is certified gold. It also sparked controversy across the U.S. after police and pro-police audiences misinterpreted the song.
