Beyoncé Responded to Being Called ‘Arrogant’ For Allegedly Sampling a Song Without Permission on ‘Renaissance’ With Proof That She Did

Grammy-winning singer Beyoncé sampled many different artists on her 2022 album Renaissance, including Right Said Fred’s 1992 hit song “I’m Too Sexy” in the standout track “Alien Superstar.” After the album’s release, British duo Right Said Fred lambasted Beyoncé for allegedly lifting the sample without their permission or without paying them. But Bey and her team responded with receipts proving that they were notified and that they were paid.

Right Said Fred called Beyoncé ‘arrogant’ for her sample of ‘I’m Too Sexy’

The chorus of “Alien Superstar” resembles that of “I’m Too Sexy,” as Beyoncé sings “I’m too classy for this world / Forever I’m that girl.” In an October 2022 interview with The Sun, Right Said Fred expressed their disdain with Beyoncé’s use of their song.

“Normally, the artist approaches us but Beyoncé 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 duo said. Drake interpolated “I’m Too Sexy” in his 2021 No. 1 single “Way 2 Sexy,” while Swift included it in her 2017 single “Look What You Made Me Do.”

“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,” Right Said Fred continued. “With this Beyoncé thing, there are 22 writers it’s ridiculous.”

“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 and the guy who brings the coke, they all want a cut. We can’t stop it,” they went on. “There is nothing we can do. It is s***.”

In the end, Right Said Fred resolved to let the issue slide, considering the place that Beyoncé holds in the industry.

“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. It’s best to let it go,” they said. “If you’re not careful you spend your life looking back. We keep looking forward the whole time.”

Beyoncé and her team responded with proof that they were paid

Not much time passed before Beyoncé and her team responded to Right Said Fred’s accusations with a statement.

“The comments made by Right Said Fred stating that Beyoncé used ‘I’m Too Sexy’ in ‘Alien Superstar’ without permission are erroneous and incredibly disparaging,” a representative for Beyoncé said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “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 utilized.”

The statement went on to detail when Right Said Fred were compensated for the use of their composition.

“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,” the statement said. “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. Collectively the Right Said Fred writers own more than any other singular writer and have co-writer credit. This accusation is false.”

‘Renaissance’ contains other samples

Nearly every other song on Renaissance contains elements of other songs throughout music history. Just on “Alien Superstar,” besides Right Said Fred, the song also samples Foremost Poets’ “Moonraker” and Danube Dance’s “Unique,” as well as an excerpt from Barbara Ann Teer’s “Black Theatre” speech.

Renaissance‘s lead single “Break My Soul” flipped Robin S.’s hit song “Show Me Love” in its production. The song also contains vocals from Big Freedia’s song “Explode”; Freedia herself has been a frequent collaborator of Beyoncé’s.

Perhaps the most recognizable sample on the album comes in the closing track “Summer Renaissance,” which includes elements of Donna Summer’s classic disco hit “I Feel Love.”