Audio By Carbonatix
Beyoncé Knowles Carter and her husband Jay-Z are being accused of not giving a Jamaican artist credit for her contribution to their single "Black Effect."
Lenora Antoinette Stines filed Tuesday in the United States District Court Central District of California to be compensated for copyright infringement, right of publicity and unjust enrichment.
The suit is centred around the song "Black Effect" from the couple's joint 2018 album, "Everything is Love."Jay-Z's legal name is Shawn Carter and the album is credited to "The Carters."
CNN has reached out to reps for the couple for comment.
According to the suit, a copy of which CNN obtained, Stines "is 68 years old and she is extremely well respected and highly regarded in the island of Jamaica, and throughout the world for her artistry and wisdom."
Stines alleges that she was approached in Jamaica by the couple in March of 2018 to help obtain dancers for a video meant to promote their album and tour.
Stines, who uses the title "Dr." in the lawsuit, said she supplied some dancers for the video and was also asked to speak about her thoughts on love in the video.
According to Stines, on the day she showed up to film the video she was told she "must sign" an agreement in order to participate.
"When Dr Stines inquired into the terms of the agreement, she was told that the agreement 'was just a standard document that everyone had to sign,'" the suit states. "She was then told not to 'worry, because, the agreement was only going to be utilized so that her voice could be used in the Video.'"
Stines said that when she asked if she could snap a photo of the agreement to send to her son, who is an attorney in South Florida to review, she "was explicitly told that she could not send a picture of the agreement to anyone to review."
The suit goes on to say that Stines was assured that the recording "would only be used in the video, which was said to be for promotional purposes."
But when the album came out in June 2018, "To the shock, horror and chagrin of Dr Stines, the Project featured the unauthorized exploitation of her vocals on a song known as "Black Effect" (the "Recording")."
"This discovery left Dr. Stines feeling violated," the suit states.
Stines' voice is featured in the first minute of the "Black Effect" song.
She is seeking damages, legal fees, a portion of the publishing rights and a writer's credit for the single.
Latest Stories
-
Dr Abena Nyarkoa to join panel discussion at Africa Together Conference in Cambridge
44 minutes -
Walmart warns US shoppers are cutting spending as higher petrol prices bite
1 hour -
Flexible exchange rate regime critical in absorbing external shocks – First Deputy Governor
1 hour -
Toilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, guidance confirms
1 hour -
Emily in Paris to end after sixth season, says Netflix
1 hour -
Angry crowd sets Ebola hospital tents on fire in DR Congo
2 hours -
Russia and China condemn US over indictment of former Cuban leader
2 hours -
Bank of Ghana reverts to previous Cash Reserve Ratio policy after scrapping it last year
2 hours -
Ghana-eligible defender Beres Owusu signs permanent deal with Grazer AK
2 hours -
A Super El Niño is coming: What does it mean for Ghana?
2 hours -
Driving Schools Association pushes for mandatory driver training to reduce road crashes
2 hours -
Climate change exists with or without humans — Youth advocate
3 hours -
Plastic waste driving flooding and climate concerns in Bamaahu — Youth Climate Reporter
3 hours -
This week on The Career Trail
3 hours -
My book was born out of university research – Mary Anane Awuku
3 hours