Beyoncé has been accused of swagger jacking — again.
With Erykah Badu hinting at Bey copying her braided, beaded bangs look this week, many have been reminded of other times the diva was accused of theft, including looks, set design, dance moves, video ideas, etc.
In most cases, Bey and/or her team are able to explain similarities some consider to be jack moves. Other times, they simply tell haters to have a seat, as publicist Yvette Noel-Schure shot back at Badu with an Instagram carousel full of photos of Bey rocking various braided styles.
This isn’t the first time Badu has called out the Houston superstar for potentially stealing a look, and she’s not alone. Check out these eight instances where Bey was accused of IP theft below.
Erykah Badu (Braids)
Beyoncé was most recently accused of jacking a braid style Erykah Badu has been known to rock, featuring long, individual braids and a beaded braid bang.
Erykah Badu performs on stage at LA3C held on November 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Elyse Jankowski/Billboard via Getty Images)
While Badu didn’t blatantly call out her fellow Texan, she did re-post the image with caption “Hmmm,” which many took to imply Bey copied the look. Carter’s longtime publicist Yvette Noel-Schure, however, immediately shut down the idea that any braided style could be stolen, as Bey’s been rocking braids since childhood.
“She slays. She slays. Now. Then. Always. act ii COWBOY CARTER 3.29 #criticswithoutcredentials,” she captioned an Instagram carousel showcasing Bey in several braided looks, including the beaded bang look in question.
Erykah Badu (Hats)
Prior to braidgate, Badu also hinted at influencing Bey when it came to the large hats she donned on her Renaissance World Tour, as they looked similar in style to the large toppers Badu has become known to rock.
“Hmm….,” Erykah wrote in an Instagram story featuring Bey in the boater, adding, “I guess I’m everybody stylist.” She later commented on Bey’s page “I’m flattered.”
DALLAS, TX – FEBRUARY 24: American singer-songwriter Erykah Badu performs on stage during Another Badu Birthday Bash concert at The Factory in Deep Ellum on February 24, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 29: (Editorial Use Only) (Exclusive Coverage) Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at MetLife Stadium on July 29, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood )
While Bey’s team didn’t respond, plenty of BeyHive members noted that the superstar’s penchant to rock extravagant hats on stage dates back before her summer 2023 trek, including shows from her 2016 Formation World Tour and her 2018 Global Citizen Festival appearance.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 07: Entertainer Beyonce performs on stage during “The Formation World Tour” at the Citi Field on June 7, 2016 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/PW/WireImage For Parkwood Entertainment)
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 28: Beyonce performs onstage during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on August 28, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/MTV1617/Getty Images for MTV)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – DECEMBER 02: Beyonce performs during the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 at FNB Stadium on December 2, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100)
Ciara (“Partition” Video)
Image Credit: YouTube screenshots.
Considered a reach by most, Ciara once insinuated that Bey found inspiration for her 2014 “Partition” video in Cici’s “Love Sex And Magic” clip from 2009. She did so by sharing a screenshot from her video, as she’s dressed in an animal print bodysuit and dances sexily behind bars, beside one from “Partition” where Bey rocks a similar bodysuit covered in cheetah print and teases hubby Hov from behind faux prison bars.
Bey nor her team replied to the comparison.
“Single Ladies” Choreography
Image Credit: YouTube
Bey dropped one of the best videos of all time with “Single Ladies,” but fans of legendary choreographer Bob Fosse took issue with the black and white clip, as her dance moves mimicked those of the Broadway legend, almost step-for-step.
While comparing the clips side-by-side confirms Bey borrowed the moves, she’s also been vocal about being largely influenced by Fosse and musicals, in general. In the end, most chalk up the visual to being inspired by the icon rather than an attempt to steal his moves.
Anjulie (“Superpower” Video)
Canadian artist Anjulie once implied that Bey jacked the concept of her “Stand Behind The Music” video for Beyoncé single, “Superpower.” Both visuals find the singers leading a political rebellion through the streets of a dystopian society.
“so happy to b the visual inspiration behind the new @beyonce video” she tweeted at the time, deleting the post after being stung by The Hive for the implication. In the years since, however, she’s expressed her love for the Houston singer.
‘Lemonade’ Visuals
Image Credit: US District Court of New York.
Beyoncé, Sony, Columbia and the pop star’s Parkwood Entertainment were all sued by indie filmmaker Matthew Fulks over the visuals to her 2016 album, Lemonade.
According to Fulks, Bey jacked nine scenes from his film, Palinoia. He also claimed that he sent Parkwood Entertainment the short film, so he knows several employees who worked on Lemonade had access to it.
One month after his June 2016 filing, Bey’s attorneys hit back, arguing that visuals including “graffiti and persons with heads down,” a “parking garage” and “side-lit ominous figures” do not fall under copyright infringement. They also argued that the narrative was completely different, as Lemonade dealt with portraying “an African-American woman who progresses through stages of suspicion, denial, anger and, ultimately, reconciliation in her relationship.”
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff agreed, dismissing the suit in September 2016.
2011 Billboard Music Awards Performance
Image Credit: YouTube screenshot
Considered one of her greatest performances of all time — which is REALLY saying something — Bey’s rendition of “Run The World (Girls)” for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards wasn’t without controversy, as she was accused of biting Italian singer Lorella Cuccari and a performance she did one year prior in 2010. Check out a side-by-side clip above.
Like with Fosse, Bey later explained being inspired by Cuccari, adding that she had no intentions of “stealing” her stunning visuals.
“My makeup artist showed me the performance of Lorella Cuccarini a year ago, and it inspired me so much. I then met with the talented people who worked on it. The technology and concept were so genius. Thank God for YouTube or I would have never been exposed to something so inspiring. I never worked so hard on anything in my life as that performance for the Billboard Awards,” she told AOL Music following the backlash.
Formation World Tour Choreography
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Back in 2016, choreographer Marlyn Oritz accused the songstress of copying her Fuerza Bruta moves for the Formation World Tour, taking to Instagram at the time to call out the star.
“I’m sorry I don’t bash artist! But I respect fellow creative artist…and don’t like to use social media to promote some thing that can be perceived as negativity… BUT @beyonce you have the nerve to steal exact concepts n choreography from other real creative genius,” Ortiz stated. “You stole from @breakingsurface you stole the stomping from #delaguarda @fuerzabrutanyc it’s ok to be inspired but at least make the effort to make it your own.”
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