Kelis has shared some harsh words for Beyoncé, claiming she was sampled on the pop icon’s new album without permission. The claim was made ahead of the release of Beyoncé’s new album, Renaissance, track five of which, ‘ENERGY’, includes an interpolation of Kelis’ 2003 song, ‘Milkshake’.
The full list of credits for the track includes Skrillex, featured artist BEAM and ‘Milkshake’ producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (under the alias The Neptunes), but Kelis’ name is absent. However, as Pitchfork also points out, while ‘Milkshake’ is officially a Kelis song, she doesn’t receive a songwriting or production credit on the original track.
Beyoncé – ‘ENERGY’
Taking to Instagram, Kelis claimed that her original song had been interpolated without her explicit permission. Commenting on a post made by the @kelistrends fan page, Kelis was blunt in her description of the situation. “It’s not a collab it’s theft,” she wrote in one comment.
“My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding,” Kelis continued elsewhere. “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.”
Currently, Beyoncé has made no statement in regards to Kelis’ objections, but she did release a letter to fans confirming that Renaissance is the first of a three-part project. “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” she wrote. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving.”
Further Reading
Ashnikko Borrows an Iconic Kelis Sample For ‘Deal With It’
Love Letter To A Record: Nina Las Vegas On Kelis’s ‘Kaleidoscope’
Watch Ecca Vandal Take On Rihanna, Dizzee Rascal & Kelis For ‘Like A Version’
