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Beyonce has hit back at the band Right Said Fred by insisting that she not only asked permission to sample their music but that she paid them for the privilege.
Earlier this week the English pop band – formed by brothers Fred and Richard Fairbrass – had claimed the American singer had ripped them off by sampling their 1991 hit song I’m Too Sexy in her new hit Alien Superstar.
Yet in a statement shared with MailOnline on Friday, Beyonce’s team called the claims ‘erroneous, incredibly disparaging and false’.
They insisted that permission was granted by Right Said Fred’s publisher and said the stars have ‘co-writer credit’ on Beyonce’s new single.
Denial: Beyonce has hit back at the band Right Said Fred by insisting that she not only asked permission to sample their music but that she paid them for the privilege
The statement read: The comments made by Right Said Fred stating that Beyonce used ”I’m Too Sexy” in ”Alien Superstar” without permission are erroneous and incredibly disparaging.
‘Permission was not only granted for its use, but they publicly spoke of their gratitude for being on the album. For their song, there was no sound recording use, only the composition was utilised.’
‘Permission was asked of their publisher on May 11, 2022 and the publisher approved the use on June 15, 2022. They were paid for the usage in August, 2022. Furthermore, the copyright percentage of the Right Said Fred writers with respect to the use of ”I’m Too Sexy” is a substantial portion of the composition.’
It concluded: ‘Collectively the Right Said Fred writers own more than any other singular writer and have co-writer credit. This accusation is false.’
Speaking out: I’m Too Sexy artists Right Said Fred, including brothers Fred Fairbrass, 69, and Richard Fairbrass, 58, slammed Beyonce as ‘arrogant’ after claiming the superstar did not ask for permission to sample their 1991 hit for her song Alien Superstar
I’m Too Sexy artists Right Said Fred previously slammed Beyonce as ‘arrogant’ after claiming the superstar did not ask for permission to sample their music.
Their single, I’m Too Sexy, has been adapted before by the likes of Drake and Taylor Swift.
Yet the band claimed in an interview with The Sun: ‘Normally the artist approaches us but Beyonce didn’t because she is such an arrogant person she just had probably thought “come and get me” so we heard about it after the fact when you did.
‘But everyone else, Drake and Taylor Swift, they came to us.’
The song has been adapted by both of the latter artists, with Swift using the same rhythm and pattern for her 2017 hit Look What You Made Me Do; while Drake used samples of the track for his 2021 collaboration Way 2 Sexy with Future and Young Thug.
The group was critical of Beyonce, pictured in 2019, after she did not ask for permission to sample their material
Right Said Fred detailed the process they claim Beyonce ignored in sampling their material in her work.
‘To use our melody they need our permission so they send us the demo and we approve it and if so we get a co-write credit,’ they said. ‘With this Beyoncé thing there are 22 writers it’s ridiculous so we would get about 40p.’
They opened up on the economics of the music business as to why royalties might be down.
‘The reason that is happening we think is because there is so little money now in the actual sales people like friends, golfing partners, engineers, bookers … they all want a cut.’
The group added that ‘there is nothing [they] can do’ amid the business dispute, as ‘you are going to get into a conversation with someone who has a lot more presence and power and money than we do – and that won’t go well.’
They added: ‘It is s*** … it’s best to let it go. If you’re not careful you spend your life looking back. We keep looking forward the whole time.’
I’m Too Sexy held the top spot on the U.S. charts for three weeks in early 1992 and spent 21 weeks on the Top 100 chart, according to Billboard.
I’m Too Sexy held the top spot on the U.S. charts for three weeks in early 1992 and spent 21 weeks on the Top 100 chart, according to Billboard
The song is off of Beyonce’s latest album Renaissance, which has garnered criticism for other tracks.
Kelis was upset that Beyonce sampled her material from her hit Milkshake without letting her know in advance, leading Beyonce to remove the sample from her song Energy.
The 2003 hit from Kelis was penned by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (formerly known as The Neptunes), who both were credited on the Beyonce track, though Kelis wasn’t. Beyonce’s website indicated that the samples used on the track were interpolated, altering the existing sound for a new song.
‘My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance … is astounding,’ Kelis said on social media of the use of her track. ‘I heard about this the same way everyone else did. Nothing is ever as it seems, some of the people in this business have no soul or integrity and they have everyone fooled.’
In response to one comment that Beyonce clearly admires her work, Kelis replied: ‘Admire is not the word.’
When another expressed excitement about them working together, the mom-of-two, who was writing under her celebrity chef account @bountyandfull, claimed: ‘It’s not a collab it’s theft.’
Beyonce also vowed to remove an ableist slur from her Renaissance track Heated, following a backlash from fans and disability equality charity, Scope.
The singer had the lyrics: Sp**zin’ on that ass, s**z on that ass’ in the song which she collaborated on with Drake.
Critic: Kelis was upset that Beyonce sampled her material from her hit Milkshake without letting her know in advance, leading Beyonce to remove the sample from her song Energy
Kelis said, ‘My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance all 3 parties involved is astounding’
A statement given to MailOnline said ‘The word, not used intentionally in a harmful manner, will be replaced in the lyrics.’
However, Beyonce failed to include an apology.
Fans believed there can no excuse for ignorance when it comes to using the word – especially after Lizzo apologised for using the same word on her song Grrrls just weeks previously – and had her track re-recorded.
The word can mean to ‘freak out’ or ‘go crazy’ in the US but it’s very widely known that it comes from the word ‘spastic’.
The term is often used in a derogative manner to describe those with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy.
Something to say: Beyonce also vowed to remove an ableist slur from her Renaissance track Heated, following a backlash from fans and disability equality charity, Scope
Warren Kirwan, Media Manager at disability equality charity Scope, said ahead of the statement: ‘It’s appalling that one of the world’s biggest stars has chosen to include this deeply offensive term.
‘Just weeks ago, Lizzo received a huge backlash from fans who felt hurt and let down after she used the same abhorrent language.
‘Thankfully she did the right thing and re-recorded the song. It’s hard to believe that could have gone unnoticed by Beyoncé’s team.
‘Words matter because they reinforce the negative attitudes disabled people face every day, and which impact on every aspect of disabled people’s lives.
‘Beyoncé has long been a champion of inclusivity and equality, so we’d urge her to remove this offensive lyric.’
That lyric controversy led Monica Lewinsky to propose having a lyric referencing her affair with then-President Bill Clinton removed from Beyonce’s 2013 track Partition.
‘uhmm, while we’re at it…. #Partition,’ she tweeted, along with a link to a Variety article reporting on the matter.
Speaking up: That lyric controversy led Monica Lewinsky to propose having a lyric referencing her affair with then-President Bill Clinton removed from Beyonce’s 2013 track Partition; pictured June 2022
The lyric referencing the scandal reads: ‘Now my mascara running, red lipstick smudged/Oh, me so horny, yeah, he want to f**k/He popped all my buttons, and he ripped my blouse/He Monica Lewinsky-ed all on my gown.’
Lewinsky famously had an affair with Clinton between 1995 and 1997, with their relationship beginning when she was a 22-year-old unpaid White House intern – and eventually led to his impeachment on December 19, 1998.
Lewinsky previously suggested the lyric be amended in a 2014 Vanity Fair article.
‘Thanks, Beyoncé, but if we’re verbing, I think you meant “Bill Clinton’d all on my gown,” not “Monica Lewinsky’d,”‘ she wrote.
‘While we’re at it…’: Lewinsky raised the issue on Twitter after news of the lyric removal broke
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