B.C. Jean is a singer/songwriter who actually wrote the song,”If I Were a Boy” and has reportedly had to go take Beyonce and her father/manager Matthew Knowles to court. BC Jean is claiming copyright infringement because she only allowed Music World/Sony to purchase the rights to the song.
BC Jean
Beyonce’s people slapped her name on it in an effort to make Beyonce seem as though she had written the song. This has been going on for years. There was also controversy aboutt the song “Irreplaceable” which Beyonce was claiming until it was later revealed that singer/songwriter Ne-Yo penned the hit. During her years in the group Destiny’s Child, Beyonce was constantly credited with writers and producers credits when it’s pretty obvious that the girl doesn’t write a thing and definitely can’t play an instrument. Yes, there are many producers that don’t play an instrument that are successful but when it comes down to it, the person playing the melody on the piano or guitar usually ends up creating the song. I should know since I’ve been a producer for 15 years. I’m not a fan of artists who steal credit for material from unknowns. Hopefully Beyonce wrote some of the songs that she claims, but I highly doubt it. Check out BC Jean’s version of “If I Were A Boy” below.
October 16th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
who cares if Beyonce didnt write the song she proberly an sing it better than the person who wrote it so who cares she sucha good singer it shouldnt matter !!
October 16th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
People should proof read their posting before sounding stupid. One should not go around stealing others music, even if you are Beyonce.
October 16th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
beyonce is so wrong. she shouldnt have done that. and the writer of the song sounds better than her.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
If beyonce did steel it the song that sucks….but ive listened to both songs and some of the are different so technically she can sing it….but she sings it better…i dont see what the big deal is if beyonce just gives the songwriters credit!!!! i mean thats their job she should pay them for it…..its probly her father behind this one
October 17th, 2008 at 4:26 am
the original singer did a better job than beyonce.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
If this is actually true, a lot of people, including myself will lose respect for Beyonce…even though other artists practice stealing songs and taking credit. When I heard this story, I was shocked…just wouldn’t expect it from her. Shame!! Shame!!!
October 17th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I think Beyonce’s version sounds better however…Beyonce is DEAD WRONG for stealing song writing credits from this girl. I’m not surprised. Beyonce’s country behind probably can’t compose a sentence let alone a song.
October 17th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I hear the song and loved it..give credit “B” there is enough to share…
was most disappointed to hear that “B’ did not write it. what a let down ..
“B’ young women are following you…Honest does not count?????????
October 19th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Beyonce receiving writing credits to A COMPLETED SONG BY CHANGING A FEW WORDS AROUND is just PLAIN WRONG!!! THE FACT THAT IT’S A STOLEN ONE AT THAT MAKES IT ALL THE MORE DISTURING!!!
Sorry to all Beyonce fans, but she has gotta be one of the most disgusting people in music out there right now.
BEYONCE IS A THIEF!!!
October 20th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I don’t think its the singing of the song that is the problem. The problem is that if you write the song you make alot of money…singers make less. Not only that you gain the reputation of being a writer of hit music. Beyonce has a history of taking credit for other peoples music. She has to stop this. She is already famous and rich. Give the other creative people the credit they deserve.
October 20th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I am now a fan of BC Jean. Beyonce is a fraud.
October 20th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Beyonce is a thief plain and simple, she might as well be lip syncing. The crappiest part about all of this is that BC Jean will never get the rights to the song back because like all the rich and famous beyonce will just buy her way out of this, to get what she wants. Beyonce knowles- fraud, thief, bad actress.
October 20th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Bc Jean sings the song way better. It’s so unfair how beyonce is getting all the spot light for “If i were a boy”.
October 20th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Will you people get a grip - neither bc jean or beyonce wrote the song - a guy named gad wrote it. If bc jean had indeed written it - she would not be complaining … she would hire a good entertainment attorney and sit back and rack in the lute - ‘cuz this WILL be a hit~!!! A hit she obviously couldn’t produce. And as for the writer of this article who “claims” to be a producer - hate is laced throughout this piece. Name 1 act you’ve produced. It’s o.k. I’ll wait. Right.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:32 am
BC jean sang t better beyonce is gay and i dont like ehr
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:02 am
this is such a biased article. Beyonce does not recieve a credit for writing this song in the final album credits. Get over it. The song rocks, and Beyonce made it a hit. she never stole it. Beyonce Co-Wrote Irreplaceable that is a fact.
That controversy around Irreplaceable was that Beyonce reniged on her promise to sing a duo with Ne-Yo on his album for help with writing Irreplaceable, not that she was stealing credits.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I THINK THAT B IS A LIAR AND SHOULD BE BANNED FROM EVER SINGING AGAIN………SHE HAS SOOOOOO FREAKING MUCH THAT SHE COULD AFFORD TO GIVE THIS GIRL BC JEAN OR ANYONE ELSE THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT WOMAN HAS SOME NERVE TO DO THIS REGARDLESS IF IT WAS HER DAD OR NOT SHE PUT HER NAME ON IT PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!!! SO SHE SHOULD GET OVER HER SELF AND AS SHOULD YOU GUYS WHO BELIEVE SHE WAS RIGHT REGARDLESS!!!!!!! I WAS A BEYONCE FAN BUT NOW IM A BEYONCE BOYCOTTER!!!!! IT TAKES A UNIQUE PERSON TO COME UP WITH A SONG AND THEY PUT EVERYTHING INTO IT AND SHE HAS RAPED ANY ARTIST/SONG WRITER
HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT HER FOR HER WRONG DOINGS!!!!!!! F***K HER AND HER DAD TOOO!!!!!
………
J TAYLOR
ANYONE WHO ACTUALLY THINKS THAT ANYONE SHOULD GET OVER TAKING THE CREDIT OF SOMEONES WORK NEEDS TO BE STONED…I CAN SEE IF SHE DID THE SONG JUSTICE BUT SHE DEFINITELY DIDN’T…THE ONLY REASON ANYONE COULD CONDONE BEYONCE CLAIMING THIS SONG AS HER OWN IS BECAUSE THEY DIDNT WRITE IT…PERSONALLY I’D BE PISSED IF I MAKE A POTENTIAL HIT AND SOMEONE ELSE CAME ALONG AND TOOK IT AS HER OWN..I DONT CARE WHO WROTE IT…BEYONCE STOLE IT AND SHE SUCKED DOING IT..ALTHOUGH IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ALOT IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS IT WILL NEVER MAKE IT RIGHT AND PEOPLE WHO DO IT ARE SCUM AND SORRY SO CALLED ARTIST WHO CLEARLY HAVE NO TALENT AND NEED TO TRY TO BENEFIT GREATLY FROM OTHERS…SHE ALREADY HAS SO MUCH MONEY, FAME, AND GLAMOUR….IS IT REALLY NECCESARY TO CLAIM SOMETHING AS YOUR OWN WHEN ITS NOT? HA…GET OVER IT…YOU PEOPLE NEED TO GET OVER THE FACT THAT BEYONCE ISNT ALL OF WHAT SHE’S CRACKED UP TO BE…CAN SOMEONE SAY…OVER RATED?…
TAYLOR W.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
lottay, any musician/songwriter/artist should care, and anyone who enjoys music for that matter, because musicians/songwriters/artists get paid for what they compose…it is their livelihood. Songwriters/musicians receive royalties everytime a song in which they write is played on the radio, in movies, ads or is used in any public forum. Music entities such as ASCAP and BMI (which some artist are members of and in which they pay dues to) are responsible for keeping tabs on songs that are played so these artists can get paid for their music being played in public. To BC Jean and other artists who create the art of music IT DOES MATTER!
October 24th, 2008 at 12:58 am
that chick sang her heart out! go BC Jean… yea… beyonce effed up her song. the original is a million times better… u feel her emotions… ugh! beyonce is trifling
October 24th, 2008 at 4:38 am
I have never heard of this person however as soon as I head beyonce’s version which was last week, I thought to myself that this was a song that was actaully eloquenty written . NO slang and it sounded heart felt but as I hear this young lady sing it oh MY!!!! She does such a better job that is a clear that this person wrote the song!!!!! I do nto know who she is but I really wished she would have kept it for herself!!!! I am intersted in her work now!!!
October 25th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Okay… Let’s see if I understand this properly. If I illegally download Beyonce’s “If I Were a Boy”, the RIAA would be all over me. But, when someone essentially steals another person’s intellectual property and makes a boatload of money, the RIAA is okay with that because they’re getting their cut. Pretty much sums it up. Oh…and they just strengthened ip copyright laws.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
DAT BiTCH WUZ WR0NG EITHER WAY U PUT IT SHE SHOULDNT HAVENT STOLE HER SONG DAT BITCH GOT TIRED OF MAKIN HER OWN SONGS SHE HAD TO STEAL SOMEBODY ELSES SHE A DUMB BITCH
October 25th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Just leave her alone. listen, all ur goin off is by this website. where is the PROOF! beyonce is the bomb, shes got it all. BC aint doing that well because no one has heard of her. look she’s wrote 95% of her work. dont listen to stupid website giving FALSE information.
beyonce is back!
October 25th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I have to admit when I first heard this song sung by Beyonce I knew she couldn’t have wrote or arranged the musice for this record. I mean no fence to B but all of her music sounds a like, a chorus sung fifty times over and beat you’d swear sounds just like her last song. It takes REAL talent to write a song with such soul and meaning to it and this songs definitly show cases that. Although both women did an good job singing it I think BC Jean did the BEST job. The song goes with her voice and should be sung by her ONLY. I am so dissapointed in B
October 25th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
To all of you Beyonce Stans that keep coming in here trying to bash me for writing this article, these are facts. I just report the news. I’ve been in the industry for years and I get information before many of the other sites. Many of you keep saying that no one should believe my article because it’s just an article on some blog. Well, would you believe Fox News ? They are reporting the same thing here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,437442,00.html. So stop all of your hating on me and just deal with the fact that Beyonce is just like many other artists and producers that steal credit from unknowns each and every day. Beyonce didn’t write most of the songs that she claims to write just as producers like Timbaland and Dr. Dre don’t always produce all of the tracks that they claim. Filthy Rag doesn’t deal with stories that have no proof to support them and we don’t believe in hurting our own people. But the truth is the truth. The other day, all of the blogs were reporting the story about Will Smith but we would never run a story like that because that’s not what this site is about. Don’t let the name fool you. In response to Michael, Beyonce changed some of the melody on the song “Irreplaceable” and was saying that she co-wrote the song in interviews. Do your research before you come in here running your mouth because that’s also a fact. To Bella, you’re not worth responding to. I got mine, get yours. Church !!!
October 28th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Sad
She has so much and this girl is struggling to make it.
B is already on top—no need to step on people to stay there.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:53 am
How sad. She’s got so much, and she couldn’t even give credit to someone who’s trying to make it? This isn’t really the first time she’s getting sued for stealing something, though. And I feel that they are going to slam J for the her for this one. That’s messed up. She’s got a great voice. I believe she exagerates to much sometimes. She couldn’t just give this talented writer some credit? That’s low man. just low.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Beyonce is a diva if I’ve ever seen one and she is NOT a good artist if she needs to rip off people on myspace. Even if Beyonce is somewhat talented that does NOT give her the right to steal someone’s song. It did not sound natural for Beyonce to sing. I enjoyed BC Jean’s version a lot and she has a unique voice. I am glad this article was published and BC Jean is getting some recognition through Beyonce’s wrong doing.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Beyonce does need to give the proper credit to the right person. But that song is a hit and will make plenty of money for the person that wrote it. So maybe good will come out of this situation
October 29th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
You can not really blame Beyonce for this, only because she may not have know it was a stolen song escepially if her father was behind the whole thing. She should however give BC Jean royalities for every dollar she makes for the song. BC Jean should really be mad at the producer of the song for selling it to Beyonce’s dad in the first place. Either way it goes Beyonce has been know for stealing music or dances moves. Just like in her video Single Ladies, it was said she stole the concept and some of the moves from Mexican Breakfast (youtube it). So u be the judge of the whole thing, personally I like BC Jean’s version better.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Okay 1st of, let me say, lets not get all upset and curse at Beyonce because it was her peoples to put her name on it. All Beyonce does it sings what is given to her! Don’t disrespect B just because of her mistake, we all make them, you’re not as innocent as she is! No matter who sings it better, its BC Jean Song & B should have over read the paper works that were handed to her & confirmation it with anybody to see if it was there song! Beyonce is still a great singer, but we all have mistakes!
So shut up!
October 31st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Oh & for the person to say that she also stole dance moves from Mexican Breakfast…. ummm a dance is a dance! Everybody is going to do it. Yeah they get their props for making the dance up but when you go around doing the “soulja boy” or the “pool palace” or even the “chicken dance” that is also somebody’s dance, so would you be considered stealing too?!?
exactly, let it “B”!
November 1st, 2008 at 5:44 pm
i absolutely LOVE beyonce i really do, but if this is true she was sooooo wrong for that. No one would have thought any less of her if she would have just told the public that she got a hot song from a new artist. In fact ppl probably would have liked her more 4 discovering such talent. Im really disappointed to b a fan of hers right now. AND it doesn’t matter that she’s Beyonce, whats wrong is wrong. Her fame should not put her above the moral code, and i bet if she did this to some of you “supporters” it would be a completely different story.
November 2nd, 2008 at 6:54 am
I think that Beyonce should stop roben other peoples songs its just gredy and stupid ! Bc Jean’s version of If I Was A Boy is much much better than Beyonce’s enyway but I heard that Beyonce and her dad promesed Bc Jean a demo so I can’t wait to hear that .
Sue From Liverpool .
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I fell in love with this song but am disspointed in what I heard about beyonce stealing that girl’s song..it’s unfair that was sucha beautiful meaningful song and beyone get’s all the lime light….ha well not now!
November 8th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
she my girl but she stole that girl song so disspoited
November 12th, 2008 at 12:32 am
When i first heard this song and saw the beyonce video, i really liked it but felt like something was off… I think heard the BC Jean version recently and realized what it is. This song was written by and for a rock star, not a diva. Divas don’t ever ask themselves “if i were a boy.”
Give this song back to BC Jean.
November 12th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I don’t care who Beyonce is..That was not even fair. And you can tell by the way Beyonce sings the song that its not hers, the tone of emotion is completely wrong. I love the BC Jean version WAYYYY better..she puts so much more into the song, rather than just singing words. and I agree with what Rick said about Diva’s not asking themselves “if i were a boy”
November 16th, 2008 at 3:05 am
When i first heard Beyonce’s version of “if i was a boy” i figured that she was trying to switch up her style bit, but damn!!! B, you shouldn’t go around stealing people’s songs like that. And even if u weren’t aware of it, you need to fire the people who work for u because they’re doing u wrong. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that U STOLE THE SONG!!!!! Maybe u should try writing one of your own. Stick to your deja vu stuff - this style doesn’t suite you cause the original version sounds WAY better.
November 16th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
BC JEAN sings this song a miilion times better than beyonce as she should because she wrote it and she knows how she wanted it too be sung i dont no why she isnt a recording artist i would definatly bur her c.d’s wooo BC JEAN
November 17th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Here’s my take on it. Oh, and without goofy-ass language errors as well. As far as I’m concerned this is not a “Beyonce” song. Let’s face it, she has a style to her own, and hearing her sing this song does not fit her style. I’ve heard her take a stab at country and it doesn’t work for her either. The song is a well-written tune, and it works when BC Jean sings it, but Beyonce’s voice is too powerful for a song like this. Again, it’s my opinion, but I just don’t want to hear Beyonce sing this.
As far as “stealing” it? I believe her father bought the rights to the song. How is this stealing? Is it morally wrong to take someone’s song and penn it as yours? Yeah, that’s not right, but it happens all the time. Again, though, that’s not an excuse.
At least exposure of this story, as well as both versions, allows one to make a decision on which song is musically more fitting to the artist. For my money, it’s BC JEAN.
November 20th, 2008 at 3:15 am
Okay so, I believe the writer of this article fully. I read the fox news article. As for this article being biased and full of underlying hate for beyonce I don’t believe that. There have been many artist who steal songs from other people and they all reap the consequences like Beyonce will be doing. Most of your replies are biased honestly. I don’t like or dislike either of these artists. I feel bad for BC Jean though, because i’ve heard both takes, and I like BC Jean’s better.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:54 pm
If I were a Boy is one of my favorite songs on Beyonce’s new cd Sasha Fierce, however, i think that the original singer, BC Jean’s is way better. When the song came out it didn’t sound real official, you can tell that Beyonce was trying to strain her voice when singing.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
i really dnt understand the big deal about it beyonce did a good job in singing tht song yer its wrong…. new singers steal old songs all the time but u neva here about tht y beyonce who gives a shit u both sound gud wat does it matter 2 me i think every1 is just ova reacting!!!!
December 10th, 2008 at 9:44 am
LOOK HERE BEYONCE IS DOIN HER THING SHE IS A SMART PERSON U JUST DONT KNO HER AND IF SHE A THEIF Y N THE HELL R U LISTEN TO HER SONGS AND BUYING EVERY CD SHE MAKES COME ON NOW BC SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL NOBODY KNOW WHO SHE IS SO HOW DO U KNO IF SHE TELLING THE TRUTH SHE CAN SAY SHE WROTE IT BUT JUST SUNG THE SONG OVER LIKE BEYONCE DID COME ON DO BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I like Beyonce’s voice on the song. But I listened to BC Jean’s song and Beyonce didn’t even change a thing on it. I love Beyonce, but this is crazy!
December 10th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
YOUR JUST A HATER MAD THAT BEYONCE JUST TAKES THINGS AND MAKES THEM BETTER, ILL TELL YOU WAHT QUIT BITCHING AND CRYING AND GO GET A RECORD DEAL FOR YOURSELF INSTEAD OF SITTING HOME BROKE WRITING SONGS FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING BEING “STOLEN”. FURTHER MORE IF YOU GAVE HER THE SONG TO SING ITS NOT YOURS ANYMORE AND I BET YOU ANY AMOUT OF MONEY SHE OR SOMEBODY GAVE CREDIT WHERE CREDITS DUE MONEY CD COVER ECT.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
that was wrong of beyonce to do dat, but beyonce sagned it much much better den herr.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
andd yes beyonce changed sum things. she took out sum words and replace sum, like confronted, and instead of writing id’ drank beer…….. she took of i’d
December 20th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
B.C sings it better … naturally cuz she wrote it! Beyonce needs to stop stealing… obviously she isn’t as talented as she thought.. cuz if she was she would write her own songs!!!
December 25th, 2008 at 12:56 am
STR8 UP.
B.C Jean did it up , she sounds way better than how Beyonce tried to sound.
NUFF SAID.
December 29th, 2008 at 1:50 am
not surprised, the original is hella better! get your credit BC!
December 30th, 2008 at 1:22 am
I loved this song when I heard it by Beyonce, but it sounded like something she wouldn’t had written her self. Before hearing this song I was not a fan of hers and now knowing that she took the song from B.C. Jean and published it, I am once again not a big fan. B.C Jean sounds much better. The lyrics are a little different but are at the same time so much a like that I think its totally wrong that beyonce took this song and published it. B.C jean deserves to get credit for it and Beyonce should have to pay.
December 30th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
who the hell cares she sounds fantastic. STOP HATING
December 30th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
SORRY STOP HATEING
December 30th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
you people are pathetic liars, the song when sung by BC sounds awful. The girl is screeching and struggles to sing the song the whole way through.
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:03 pm
SHUT UP IT DOESNT MATTER CONVERSATION OVER
January 4th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
BEYONCE IS THE BEST,ALL THAT HARD WORK TOURING AND PERFORMING ON STAGE I GUESS SHE STEALS THAT TO HUH.YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WHEN SOMEONE LIKE BEYONCE IS ON TOP AND UNTOUCHABLE PEOPLE ALWAYS GOT TO FIND SOMETHING TO BRING THEM DOWN. STOP GOT DAMM HATING. IF THIS BC JEAN CHICK IS SO GOOD HOW COME SHE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WITH HER OWN SONG? ALSO I THINK THIS GUY WHO BROKE THIS STORY MAYBE IS PISS OFF BECAUSE HE MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO WORK WITH BEYONCE AND SHE TURN HIM DOWN.
January 10th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
EVOLONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!! Apparently you didn’t google the shit before you wrote ya reply. BC Jean co wrote the song with a guy named chad. Writer, cowriter is all the same the bitch helped write that fucken song!!!! Not only is beyonce hair fake but she is a fake ass bitch as well. Im am very disappointed I WISH MY GURL AALIYAH WAS STILL LIVEN CUZ ME PERSONALLY I THINK IF SHE WAS THERE WOULDNT BE NO FUCKEN BEYONCE. Any way i hope BC Jean sues the ASS PADS OFF OF FAKEONCE i use to look up to her but i found out she has copied more than just BC Jean not only music but clothing, dancing, hairstyles and wardrobes styles. Just to name a few people she has copied Rhianna, JLo, Shakira, and diana ross. BEYONCE IS A FAKE THIEVING AS BITCH. AND FUCK SASHA TOO I BET SASHA SUCKS JAY=Z DICK REAL GOOD.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
I totally agree with Marisa.Beyonce is a fake Bitch.She’s always shaking her ass for sales,and how she used those Destiny’sChild members to get ahead.If Aaliyah was still around there would definitely be no Beyonce.I never liked Beyonce.She comes off as so very fake to me,and that Jay-z thing,she dated and now married for publicity for sure.I’m glad to see the bitch being finally exposed.I’m still listening to my girl Aaliyah!!!!!!!!!!!
January 14th, 2009 at 11:46 am
There is a case of marketing racism which reflects society.
http://controversial-affairs.blogspot.com/2009/01/beyonce-marketing-racism-black-and.html
January 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am
who really gives a shit. this happens everywhere. Dont be suprised but your favorite artist probably has music written for them or they credit themselves instead of someone else. People need to stop caring so much about celebs and worry bout thier own life.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:31 am
I think the BC Jean did it a lot better. So much more emotion u can tell its hers. Plus i have totally lost respect for hu ever did it beyonce or her dad… whatever, thats just lazy write your stuff!
January 28th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
i think beyonce should have just gave her credit and everything would have been okay because I’d want credit for something i took my time to write but i love the way beyonce staged it
February 6th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Beyonce claims writing credits on pretty much all of her songs so that she can claim on the writing royalties, this has gone on since her days back in Destinys Child….. when they all had their names on songs the didnt write, just for the royalties…..
February 9th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Beyonce does not sing the song better than BC Jean.. She copies her style down to the note…
It was not the point of just stealing the lyrics but the style as well..
Listen to bc Jeans version and be your own judge
February 10th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I have nothing against Beyonce nor BC Jean. But when I originally heard Beyonce version, I knew exactly where the song came from and that she did not write this song. As a universal music lover, the song originally played on company radio at a job I worked at. The song played everyday on the Credit Union station that plays in the lobby. This was in 2002 and I loved the song then and I love it now. I do feel B C Jean sings the song way better.. Beyonce barely changed any of the lyrics and it sounds like she’s singing just to sing. I’m not suprised Beyonce stole the lyrics, the single ladies dance was copied from another all girl group. Now I do feel she should give credit where credit is due and that is to BC Jean for writing the song.
February 13th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Many, many people take credit for songs, written by others. It’s a highly common thing within the music industry, and we should all not be shocked. Fergie took credit of “Here we come”. She might have changed the meaning of the lyrics and the name of the song, but with the back-ups, the rythm, melody, beat, tempo etc. is stolen from the original produces, ‘The Temptations’. Another would be Elvis. He did not sing “Hound Dog”. Back in the 50’s when he sang the song, the original writer/singer was a black woman. Why wasn’t she known of producing the song? It was because she was black and racial discrimination was a big deal, until The Civil Rights Act kicked in, in 1964 by J.F.K. Now there’s the case of Beyonce crediting the song “If I were a boy”? I think that the only reason why people are being so obnoxious about this is because she’s one of the worlds most announed singers and have high expectations, in her producing her own music. And in this case, she is targeted because a great singer like her should be writing her own music and not taking credit of others. Many singers do copyright infringement and yes it can be offensive to those who find it offensive, within the eyes of the beholder, but we should be greatful and so should B.C Jean, due to the fact that Beyonce made “If I were a boy” a smash hit in 2008. Yes he might he/she might have wrote the song, but would anyone know it if Beyonce didn’t take credit for it? This is not wrong. And I’m not saying it’s right either. This is just pure jealousy, that Beyonce is making the money for the song “If I were a boy” and not B.C. Jean. This is a last years topic, so how about we be mature, responsible, get on with our “OWN” lives and not others.
Thanks for reading.
Your regards,
-Miista.
February 15th, 2009 at 10:28 am
LOL Beyonce didn’t make that song a smash hit, that song SUCKED when she sang it. When you hear it from BC it has heart and meaning. I like BC but I think that was a stupid thing for Beyonce to get that song… it wasn’t a hit and it was just a mediocre song coming out of her voice. Most of the stuff Beyonce does, in my personal opinion (but isn’t it all, with everyone), isn’t really memorable grade A stuff. I don’t know too many people that even buy any of her CDs. I can’t remember selling any.
February 21st, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Honeslty
I am about up to my neck sick with this Beyonce girl. She has been doing some real bullshit since replacing the original singers of Destiny’s child with two new singers just because I believe they were prettier.Whatever the case may be she has done alot to hurt people and she takes credit for things that she did not create. I don’t respect that woman although I like the performer in her so I guess you can say TWO THUMBS UP TO SASHA FIERCE(ALTER EAGLE) AND A BIG BOOOO YOU SUCK TO BEYONCE CARTER—-WHAT A BIOTCH..
February 22nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
wat latto ur a bitch 4 saying that she worked hard on this song bc might not be a great singer bt she is a awsome song writer
March 6th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
I was LMAOO, when the guy who wrote this article posted the comment that said “so would you believe fox newss!??” and i was like what a dumbassss =))
March 16th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
i like so idolize beyonce! but hwen isee her do stuff like this it bothers me that im listening to music that wasnt written by the singer. in Jamaica we would say ” dis is a sad case, shi too tief! “
March 16th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
i like so idolize beyonce! but when i see her do stuff like this it bothers me that im listening to music that wasnt written by the singer. in Jamaica we would say ” dis is a sad case, shi too tief! “
March 30th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Honestly nobody really cares if beyonce wrote the song or not.i doubt the song is better sung by bey than that bc jean broad..
March 30th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Former beyonce fan shut the fuck up dude!!!!
April 4th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
No one should take credit for work they didn’t do. Song writing is an art & a way of making a living. Beyonce and Mat are wrong. This is not the first song she has taking credit for. But, it is pretty clear what songs she has written; her song writing appeals to Teeny Boppers. Very immature. Each his own. Just keep it real. We all have to Get Ours. So don’t block future work by taking credit for Great music just create your own.
April 4th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Miista…are you stupid or are you just STUPID?! Think about what you just wrote. Are you saying if Beyonce had been honest about not writing the song, the song would have been less liked? Dah….No one cares if she didn’t write it, but we do when she claimed she did. Do…y o u…g e t…n..o..w? Be for real. If you write a paper in college and someone turns it in as theirs, that’s cool with you. You’re a busta then.
April 10th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I think Beyonce is dead wrong for that. I think she purposely does things like this because she feels that she’s better than the orginal creators. She may be she may not be but the point is that its STEALING and she needs to face punishment! Famous ppl already feel like they run the world.
April 19th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
You all are a bunch of idiots….the person who wrote the song OWNS the song PERIOD… no more discussion,,, she should be paid….and who cares who can sing it better she STOLE the SONG…..its bullshit
April 20th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I dont believe Bee stole the song…but Im sure that it all was arranged to get Bee to scandal…. but who loves you Beyonce, wont believe that shit! - I trust you
April 29th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Beyonce shame on you.
I hope this girl wins, kudos to whoever broke this story
June 10th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
This controversy broke out a long time ago and not many people still look at this article, but I just have to say what’s on my mind.
She never did say she wrote it, right? There is no evidence that suggests that she claims that she wrote this song. And nobody knows whether she even knew this was going on, it could have been just her father’s doing; She might not have known that it was “stealing”. This incident was wrong and whoever behind it definitely should be punished, but people should stop jumping to conclusions that beyonce herself stole it. If she did, shame on her, I would be disappointed. But nobody knows who exactly it was.
and as for those people who say that she stole dance moves, well, first off it shouldnt be considered stealing something if it is similar. Its not as though she stole someone’s entire dance. maybe she did bits and pieces of another dance, at most 10 seconds. If people had to make completely original dances so that NO moves are the same as anybody else’s in the world, not only would that look ridiculous it is also be impossible. (by the way, how many times has the quote “I am your father” been used in movies? its cliche but thats not considered stealing) Let’s say she did take 50 different dances and just took parts of each of them to create one new dance. It is still a new creation. it’s not theiving.
I’m not that big of a fan but it’s irritating to see people fly off the handle and jump to conclusions about anyone really. Besides, should we be worrying ourselfs that much about some other person’s life in the first place? Chill.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:14 am
um excuse me i really dont think its about who sings it better the whole damn point is beyonce stole that sonq frm bc jean & um their is proof hunny beyonce said frm every video to evrry song to every outfit is her idea and she made it up. i can show yhu tha dam video.
June 24th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
I lost respect for Beyonce a long itme ago. I never believed her “I wrote the song” stories anyway. The fact that she took credit for “If I Were a Boy”…the song that basically got her more fans and respect…is pathetic. She always goes on and on about how she and her mom/dad are behind every idea in regards to her music. I guess she thinks that stealing someone’s music counts as an idea. As in, “Hey, I have an idea, let’s steal this song :)”
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:01 pm
This is for all of those Beyonce loving fans that don’t have a clue, she lip synk’s all of her concerts, she is a studio born singer who could not sing a lick without music, but I guess sex sells and her father and mother has pimped her out for years, but don’t just be a fan find out about who you like, it’s okay to sample music of others but it si absolutely not okay to STEAL and say that you wrote the music, hell she can’t even speak coherant english. and please don’t say I am a hater because I am not, I just know how the white establishment loves to feast on light skinned blacks, she is a good entertainer that is it, years from now you will not even be still singing any of her music or remembering any of her low luster portrayals so read ooooooonnnnnnnnnn
Vanity Fair finally puts a solo African-American on its cover, and doesn’t do any fact checking.
Beyonce Knowles, who’s full of sass and has a striking voice, actually thinks she’s a songwriter. She says so in the new Vanity Fair.
In fact, Beyonce did not write her big hit “Crazy in Love,” or even conceive of it. “Crazy in Love”—its horns, percussion, chief melody and overall “feel”—was written by the late and very great Eugene Record of The Chi-Lites. (He died this summer.) The group recorded and released it in 1969 as “Are You My Woman (Tell Me So).”
Indeed, the person who sought out the track was hip-hop producer Rich Harrison. He’s the go-to guy when you need to sample something obscure because you can’t write your own music. He told MTV.com in February 2004 that he’d had the sample for some time, long before Beyonce knew about it. “Yeah, I had it in the chamber,” he told the Web site. “I hadn’t really shopped it much, because sometimes you don’t want to come out of the bag before it’s right.”
Harrison then brought Jay-Z in to add a rap. The result was such a success that Harrison would later adapt the horn section from the Chi-Lites’ record for similar records he produced for pop singers Amerie and Jennifer Lopez.
The Vanity Fair article, however, makes it seem like Beyonce is a genius songwriter who came up with all this stuff. Knowles says, without her veracity being questioned: “‘Crazy in Love’ was really hard to write because there was so much going on… I mean, I had written –what?—seven, eight number one songs with Destiny’s Child, in a row.” Of Jay-Z’s added rap: “I knew the song wasn’t complete because the horns were so old school…”
There, she is correct. The horns were old school. They were charted 36 years ago by Record, who also wrote “Have You Seen Her?,” “Oh Girl,” “Am I The Same Girl?” and many other classic R&B hits. Unfortunately he’s no longer here to defend himself.
In the Vanity Fair article, Beyonce also claims to have “written” seven number one songs. Again, not exactly. Her name is on them all. But “Independent Woman, Pt. 1” was authored by Samuel J. Barnes and Jean Claude Olivier, tweaked by producer Cory Rooney, and added to by…Beyonce. Olivier and Barnes also worked on constructing Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny from the Block.”
“Say My Name,” a big Destiny’s Child hit, was written by Rodney Jerkins, his brother Freddie, and Rodney’s writing partner LeShawn Daniels. The names of the four girls from the group were added again, so they could share in the collection of royalties.
There’s more: “Baby Boy” was based on a hit by reggae star Ini Kamoze called “Here Comes the Hot Stepper.” “Naughty Girl” is merely a hefty sample of Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder’s “Love to Love You Baby.” “Bills Bills Bills” was written by singer/songwriter Kandi Burruss and producer Kevin Briggs. “Nasty Girl” and “Survivor” were the work of composer/producer Anthony Dent, who had to share credit with not only Beyonce but also her father, Matthew Knowles. “Bootylicious” is simply Stevie Nicks’s “Edge of Seventeen.” Nicks, following Sting’s lead from years ago with Puff Daddy/Diddy’s sample of “Every Breath You Take,” did not allow Destiny’s Child or Beyonce to get any royalties at all. Rock on, Stevie!
In fact, not one of the songs listed under Beyonce’s name on the BMI website is written solely by her. They are usually credited to a list of songwriters. The list comprises the actual writers, and then a few people who’ve “tweaked” the song with a rap or by adding samples. But this is the way it’s done in hip-hop and rap. “Writing” a song has new meaning. It means “licensing” the song from another writer. The word “composer” is not in the hip-hop dictionary.
This can make for a peculiar situation at the Grammy Awards. In 2000, Jerkins and his writing team had to share the Grammy for Best R&B Song for “Say My Name” with the members of Destiny’s Child because their names were on the credits.
In 2003, Beyonce, Harrison, and Jay-Z won a couple of Grammy’s including Best R&B Song for “Crazy in Love.” Record’s name isn’t even listed on the Grammy website and he was the writer. (Hopefully his widow is getting checks.)
July 8th, 2009 at 12:28 am
beyonce is a straight bitch for stealing bc jean’s song she’s done so much in her career and her name is already in flashing lights and she had the audacity to steal bc jeans spotlight.. tht selfish bitch… i didn’t like her already but now she’s stooped to lower levels… all mi respect for her lost..
July 20th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Some of you can be ignorant at times. I too read the article but was intelligent enough to do some investigating before jumping to any conclusions. The article said that Beyonce is the credited for writing this song. This is completely false, if one was to check in the cd case booklet, it clearly states who each song is written by.
Sorry to burst your bubble mr. aurthor but this song is clearly credited to Toby Gad and BC Jean. Please before you post gossip have your facts straight.
LOL
Da Number 1 Diva
September 9th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Bey is a fraud. I am sure it’s been said here before. This is the second time I have heard of Knowles theivery and am just irritated by it. Billboard gave her entertainer of the year award recently. I hope that Billy Jean girl keeps her head up she wrote a good song. B u should be ashamed of yourself and your dad should too. No more record from you from me….nope.
October 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
BEYONCE IS A FUCKING THEIF PERIOD. THAT LAME PASS AROUND HO, I HOPE SHE DIES.
October 14th, 2009 at 3:40 am
SHE SOUNDS BETTER THAN BEYONCE ANYWAY!!! STUPID BEYONCE!