Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

People are Outraged at “Stealthing”

There’s a name for a man removing a condom during sex without his partner’s consent: stealthing. The phenomenon is reportedly on the rise in the U.S., according to a new study by Alexandra Brodsky in the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law. Rape victims’ organizations say this kind of behavior needs to be classified as rape. And a lot of people are outraged that this is a “thing.”

Given that “stealthing” puts a victim at risk of pregnancy or disease, and that many people only consent to sex with a condom, this is “experienced by many as a grave violation of dignity,” the study says. And according to Sandra Paul, who is a specialist in sexual crimes, this could amount to legal rape. “There has to be some agreement that a condom is going to be used or there is going to be withdrawal. If that person then doesn’t stick to those rules then the law says you don’t have consent,” she said.

It’s both affirming and terrible to write about an under-acknowledged form of gender violence and hear a chorus of “me, too” in response

— Alexandra Brodsky (@azbrodsky) April 24, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: April 26, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

GOP Health Plan Will Leave 14 Million Without Coverage in First Year

The Congressional Budget Office has released its analysis of the Republican healthcare plan, and the results don’t look very good. According to the CBO, 24 million people will be without coverage by 2026, and 14 million would lose their insurance in just the first year. While the plan would save about $337 billion in the coming decade, it would come largely at the expense of the poorest Americans–as the savings would mostly come from cutting Medicaid.

Democrats say that this should be enough to stop the bill. President Donald Trump, on the other hand, says that the media is trying to make Obamacare look great so that people will look back on it positively, but that “’17 will be the very worst year.” The Trump Administration has tried to downplay the importance of the CBO over the past few days and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said, “We disagree strenuously with the report that was put out.”

CBO report on GOP health plan:
-24 MILLION fewer insured
-$880 billion cut from Medicaid
-Premiums 20% higher by 2018

Is this “winning?”

— Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) March 13, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: March 14, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to a new workweek and to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

USTA Accidentally Played Nazi-Era Anthem at Tennis Match

The United States Tennis Association had an incredibly embarrassing moment on Saturday when a banned verse of the German national anthem was accidentally played at the Fed Cup quarterfinal in Hawaii. The banned part of the anthem hails from Nazi Germany and was used as Nazi propaganda. It’s unclear how the mistake happened and Germany responded with outrage. The German team’s coach, Barbara Ritter, called the incident “inexcusable.” The USTA issued an official apology to Germany and said it won’t happen again. But for German player Andrea Petkovic, the damage was already done, as the incident happened right before her match. “I thought it was the epitome of ignorance, and I’ve never felt more disrespected in my whole life,” she said.

The USTA extends a sincere apology to the German Fed Cup team & fans 4 the outdated National Anthem. This mistake will not occur again. pic.twitter.com/4LyG3ACe5u

— USTA (@usta) February 11, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: February 13, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

When life hands Beyoncé lemons, she makes “Lemonade.” So how will she handle a $20 million lawsuit?

The singer is being sued by the family of a late rapper, comedian, and Youtube personality for allegedly sampling him without permission in “Formation,” a chart-topping single from her most recent album, “Lemonade.”

The song features the voice of Anthony Barré, better known by his stage name Messy Mya. Barré’s humor made him a local celebrity in New Orleans, where he lived, but he would also use his platform to discuss the short life expectancies of young black men in the city. In 2010, at 22 years old, he was shot and killed.

Recordings of his voice, pulled from a handful of his videos, can be heard at the beginning of “Formation” and in between verses. Some saw Beyoncé’s inclusion of Barré on the track as a both a tribute to New Orleans culture and commentary on the city’s violence.

But the internet sensation’s sister, Angel Barré, is seeking royalties as well as proper attribution to her brother, who is allegedly not listed in the song’s credits. Anthony Barré’s estate said they had reached out to Beyoncé before filing the suit, but she was unresponsive.

The copyright case, which was filed in Louisiana District Court, also names Sony Music and Beyoncé’s company Parkwood Entertainment as defendants. According to MTV News, the lawyers representing Barré’s estate wrote in a statement:

The Estate of Anthony Barré alleges that Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Parkwood Entertainment, LLC, Sony Music Entertainment and others produced, distributed, publicly performed, used and otherwise exploited the voice, words and performance of the late Anthony Barré, also known as Messy Mya, without authorization in the extremely popular ‘Formation’ recording. Barré was a well-known performance comedian, music artist and MC in New Orleans. He is very closely associated with the Bounce music phenomenon in New Orleans. There are more than a hundred videos documenting his performance, statements, comedic routines, etc.

According to Forbes, the popstar could potentially use the fair use doctrine, which allows certain uses of copyrighted material without permission from the owners, as a defense, because of the political statements included in “Formation.” Under the 1976 Copyright Act, reproducing work “for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching…scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.” This argument, however, may not hold up given how much she has profited from the song.

In September, a New York judge dismissed a separate copyright suit regarding “Lemonade,” in which a filmmaker claimed that Beyoncé had replicated scenes from one of his films in the album’s trailer and music videos.

Victoria Sheridan

Victoria is an editorial intern at Law Street. She is a senior journalism major and French minor at George Washington University. She’s also an editor at GW’s student newspaper, The Hatchet. In her free time, she is either traveling or planning her next trip abroad. Contact Victoria at VSheridan@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Why is Beyoncé Being Sued for $20 Million? appeared first on Law Street.

Gorsuch Stands Up to Trump

President Trump’s Twitter comments about the judges who are weighing his controversial immigration ban have now drawn criticism even from his own Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch. Trump called U.S. District Judge James Robart a “so-called judge,” attacked the justice system as “disgraceful,” and criticized judges for being too political. During a private meeting with Senator Richard Blumenthal yesterday, Gorsuch apparently called Trump’s negative tweets “disheartening” and “demoralizing.” After Blumenthal told the media about their conversation, Trump went for a Twitter attack early this morning, attacking Blumenthal for lying about serving in the Vietnam War.

Sen.Richard Blumenthal, who never fought in Vietnam when he said for years he had (major lie),now misrepresents what Judge Gorsuch told him?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2017

But Gorsuch’s comments were also confirmed by Ron Bonjean, who is part of the group guiding Gorsuch through the confirmation process.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: February 9, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

According to a court declaration from Uber’s former forensic investigator, some employees at the ride-sharing service tracked the locations of “high-profile politicians, celebrities and even personal acquaintances of Uber employees, including ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, and ex-spouses.” Samuel Ward Spangenberg, the former investigator suing Uber, said employees also spied on one particularly well-known celebrity: Beyoncé.

Spangenberg, 45, brought his case to a California court in October, and is suing Uber for age discrimination and whistleblower retaliation. He said he was fired 11 months after bringing a number of his concerns to the attention of top Uber executives. Spangenberg questioned more than the company’s illicit spying practices. In his declaration, he said:

As part of Uber’s incident response team, I would be called when governmental agencies raided Uber’s offices due to concerns regarding noncompliance with governmental regulations. In those instances, Uber would lock down the office and immediately cut all connectivity so that law enforcement could not access Uber’s information. I would then be tasked with purchasing all new equipment for the office within the day, which I did when Uber’s Montreal office was raided.

According to Spangenberg, some Uber employees would use a feature known as “God View” to spy on the location of targeted riders. In 2014, BuzzFeed revealed the feature’s existence when one of its reporters fell victim to “God View”–actually used by the general manager of Uber New York. The feature, which has since been rebranded “Heaven View” allows employees to see the location of drivers and customers who request a ride. Drivers do not have access to this feature.

In a statement, Uber said it “continues to increase our security investments and many of these efforts, like our multi-factor authentication checks and bug bounty program, have been widely reported.” And in a memo sent to Uber employees on Monday, the company’s top security executive, John Flynn, said: “Like every fast-growing company, we haven’t always gotten everything perfect. But without the trust of our customers we have no business.” The company has also said that “fewer than 10” employees have been fired for abusing the “God View” tool. 

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Have Uber Employees Been Spying on Beyoncé? appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Ann Coulter Gets Roasted…At Rob Lowe’s Roast

Rob Lowe’s Comedy Central roast was Saturday night, and it was filled with Hollywood A-Listers like Ralph Macchio, Jewel, and of course, Ann Coulter. And even though the roast was for Rob Lowe, Coulter got slammed pretty hard as well. Possibly the harshest condemnation came from Pete Davidson, of “SNL,” who said: “Ann describes herself as a polemicist but most people call her a c***.”

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: August 29, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

When Tidal launched it was supposed to be the next big thing in music streaming. Unfortunately, it has had some pitfalls and interesting diversions along the way–the latest is news of a lawsuit that Jay Z is filing against Tidal’s previous owners, claiming that they misled his team about the streaming company when he purchased it.

According to a Nordic business news outlet, Jay Z’s team recently wrote to some of the executives of WiMP; Tidal is a spinoff of that Scandinavian streaming service. The letters accused the shareholders of exaggerating how many subscribers Tidal had when Jay Z purchased it. While WiMP put the number at 530,000, the letters allege that that number was inflated.  While it’s unclear how WiMP may have inflated those numbers, it could have been because it counted people who were subscribers as a result of “bonus subscription deals” worked out with cable and phone companies.

Jay Z bought Tidal (and its parent company Aspiro) for approximately $57 million last year, and is filing suit seeking $15 million now as a result of the supposedly misrepresented numbers.

The Verge reports Tidal’s motivation for filing the lawsuit:

The growth in our subscriber numbers has been even more phenomenal than we’ve previously shared. It became clear after taking control of TIDAL and conducting our own audit that the total number of subscribers was actually well below the 540,000 reported to us by the prior owners. As a result, we have now served legal notice to parties involved in the sale.

However, it’s not all bad news for the streaming service–Tidal also shared some good news about its growth this week as well:

We are excited that one year after TIDAL launched, we have surpassed 3 million subscribers globally. The growth in our subscriber numbers has been even more phenomenal than we’ve previously shared.

Additionally, Tidal may be getting into the video streaming business. The company has already picked up a scripted series from YouTube, and reportedly wants to stream outside films as well as exclusives that it would produce. The new video features could be up and ready to go as early as June.

Tidal has had some bumps along the way since it launched last year. But it’s certainly disrupted the music industry, and may now be disrupting video streaming services. While Jay Z may be looking to the past for some retribution, it’s what is potentially ahead for Tidal that promises to be, at the very least, interesting.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Jay Z is Suing Former Tidal Owners appeared first on Law Street.

The American police have taken on a new level of stereotypical behavior–the kind that they have been notoriously alleged to partake in, yet vehemently refuse to admit. However, they do not have to admit it this time–their words, followed by their request for action will provide ample evidence to show that they are working hard to further discriminate against the black population. Their new adversary? Beyonce. Yes, Queen B is being targeted by a number of police unions as an individual unworthy of protection due to her blanketed and generalizing depiction of law enforcement and her advocacy for the #BlackLivesMatter social movement. Sounding ironic? It should be.

Before addressing Beyonce’s advocacy and creative interpretation, I would like to make the following observations: John Lennon worked tirelessly to develop a peaceful revolution through song, performance, and lyric. Paul McCartney continued that very public and non-discreet political picture. U2 and Bono have been devoted, active, and outspoken pioneers for Africa in the fight against HIV-AIDS and promoting education, often times criticizing the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous and taking a stark political stance. Bruce Springsteen has had a longstanding devotion to his outspoken political views, dedicating songs to his beliefs and publicly providing support for various political candidates. And who could forget the Dixie Chicks’ controversial stance against the War in Iraq?

These megastars represent a short list of artists and performers who have taken a political stance, used performance and creativity to depict political ideologies, or issued a statement based on a personal view or belief. However, none of those artists have suffered the same level of scrutiny and extreme backlash like the Queen B.

On Saturday, February 6, the diva released a video for her first new song since 2014, entitled “Formation.” The video instigated rapid fire responses about Beyonce’s exploitation of a marginalized and traumatized black New Orleans’ community, particularly post Hurricane Katrina, her open representation of southern blackness, more specifically that of a southern black woman, and resistance practices exercised by black individuals and communities.

The next day, she followed up the release of her video with a live Halftime Show performance of the song during Super Bowl 50.

Beyonce’s 2-day delivery was calculated and intense. Her message was important–that formation and organization are necessary to combat racial-based violence and embark on a path of social movement. Yet, her delivery was controversial–utilizing the black tragedy within New Orleans and exploiting the voiceless and marginalized community as her backdrop without ever giving the appropriate credit to those, like Messy Mya–a “household NOLA name” who was shot and killed at the age of 22, that provided Beyonce with the tools to tell a story that she portrayed as her own and solely for the “paper” that she sings so freely about. Whether one agrees with Queen B’s message or her in-your-face delivery, it is quite blatantly open for discussion and debate.

However, what is not readily open for discussion is the number of various police unions that are calling for an outright boycott of law enforcement for Beyonce’s upcoming world tour. While the police state that they would respond should Beyonce need help at any time, they are calling for a boycott that “would involve officers refusing to work paid off-duty security for the event, not refusing to perform regular law enforcement duties.” So why are privately-hired individuals who have the right to turn down a job boycotting under the entity of a police union that is, by law, required to defend and serve? Do they not realize that by boycotting the performance they are also refusing to protect all of the thousands of individuals in attendance? Is this a public entity’s agenda presented within the vehicle of a private sector approach? Is a police union an appropriate outlet for boycott under the circumstances? And more so, what kind of message are the police sending?

Arguably, one could inquire about Beyonce’s message and what she is trying to convey to the American people. Like Rudy Giuliani, we could be critical of her approach and view it as a vicious and very public attack on law enforcement. However, that would be blatantly ignoring the fact that Beyonce is an entertainer protected by the ideologies and legal complexities of free speech who does not possess any kind of duty to the public. She is free to say, create, depict, and perform as she pleases so long as she stays within the confines of legality–which she did.

The police, however, live by a different standard than the pop star. Furthermore, as private individuals hired for a private event to serve as security detail, they can absolutely boycott and not take the job. But is it fair to accuse Beyonce of being a cop-hater and spreading anti-police rhetoric? Does advocacy of the #BlackLivesMatter movement automatically associate one with an anti-law enforcement campaign? Are the two mutually exclusive or can we support the #BlackLivesMatter movement while also appreciating the danger and difficulty with which officers do their jobs?

The Miami Fraternal Order of the Police, the Sergeants Benevolent Association in New York City, as well as the Tamp and Nashville police unions seem to find the two mutually exclusive and have urged their respective associations and organizations to boycott the tour. Other police organizations, such as the Raleigh police, are choosing not to boycott the concert held by Beyonce in their respective state.

Like Giuliani stated, we have “to respect the uniform, not to make it appear as if they are the enemy.” Well, I think that applies to all people, not just “the uniform.” Even celebrities have a right to speak out against issues such as police brutality, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with the delivery of their messages.

Ajla Glavasevic

Ajla Glavasevic is a first-generation Bosnian full of spunk, sass, and humor. She graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and received her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Ajla is currently a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and when she isn’t lawyering and writing, the former Team USA Women’s Bobsled athlete (2014-2015 National Team) likes to stay active and travel. Contact Ajla at Staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Police Officers Boycotting Beyonce: Isn’t this a Little Ironic? appeared first on Law Street.

The Mississippi Alcohol Beverage Control board has a strict rule about liquor and adult entertainment: they don’t mix. This means no jägerbombs at a strip club, and no vodka sodas at any event they deem “sexual in nature.” The Mississippi ABC is very clear about its policy: in summary, no fun allowed.

This is a pretty hardline rule, intended to prevent sexual entertainment from becoming the booze-soaked mess it should by all rights be. The rule is being called into question after being invoked to cancel a twerk-centric concert by bounce star Big Freedia. The Mississippi ABC threatened The Dollar Box Showroom with fines and revocation of its liquor license if it featured Freedia’s show, due to “potential gyrating.”

Before we address the craziness of this law and its application, there are some questions to answer. Like who is Big Freedia and what is bounce?

Big Freedia, born Freddie Ross, is a hip hop artist hailing from New Orleans. Freedia is the biggest name in bounce music, and has helped bring the genre’s music and dance style to the masses. Rolling Stone even raved over her performance at SXSW in 2013, and that same year Big Freedia also set the Guinness World Record for most amount of people twerking simultaneously.

As for bounce music, the simplest way to describe it is that it’s really, really fun. Check out this video for an example of the dancing associated with bounce, and you’ll see that it’s high-energy, fast-paced, and a far cry from the feeble shakes of Miley Cyrus and the like. The dance is a long-standing element of New Orleans hip hop culture, and has been traced back to dance traditions from sources as varied as Haiti’s gouyad, Jamaica’s whine, and the Ivory Coast’s mapouka–all part of the African diaspora.

The reason that the Mississippi ABC interfered with Freedia’s show at The Dollar Box Showroom in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is that her performance is considered to be “adult entertainment,” and sexual in nature. In one of the most hilarious interviews in recent memory, Mississippi ABC’s Chief of Enforcement Rusty Hanna explained, “You can’t wear a thong. You must keep the cleft of your buttocks covered, and you cannot simulate a sex act.”

This is bogus for two reasons. Not only because the law is a pretty dumb one, but, moreover, that it’s unevenly enforced. The ABC hasn’t taken this kind of stand against a Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, or Rihanna concert, all of which feature a heavy dose of hip gyrations and sexually charged dancing. Plus, Freedia’s twerking isn’t designed to titillate a passive viewer like stripping or lap dances. At a Freedia concert, the audience is all twerking along, and attendees are invited to join Freedia on the stage. It’s celebratory and appreciative in a way that a strip performance is not.

I’ll admit a degree of bias towards the free enjoyment of bounce music and the associated dance. I had the pleasure of attending a Big Freedia concert in Washington, D.C., and it took me hours to wipe the smile off of my face after Freedia had left the stage. Not once was I disturbed by a buttock cleft or a sex simulation. So why have the good people of Mississippi been deprived of that joy? Freedia’s not sure why:

“I’ve been there numerous amounts of times already, so I’m not sure who’s pulling this cord or what’s going on up there. But my legal team will be taking action. It’s sad that the fans in Mississippi could not get to see me and indulge and have fun like we normally do. I just played at the Mississippi Coliseum with Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy.”

Many suspect, however, that Freedia’s recent involvement with the Beyoncé song “Formation” may have made her a target for law enforcement officers. Freedia offers backing vocals on Beyoncé’s song about her proud southern black female identity, contributing with her unabashed celebration of southern food. Freedia raps,

I did not come to play with you hoes, haha
I came to slay, bitch
I like cornbreads and collard greens, bitch
Oh, yes, you besta believe it

It’s hard to believe that Freedia’s contribution to Beyoncé’s song could be taken as a criticism of the police, but Beyoncé’s music video and subsequent Super Bowl performance caused a political stir among some groups. Freedia’s association with that Beyoncé song could be the reason she’s under further scrutiny.

If Mississippi is going to stand by a law that prevents someone from drinking liquor while they watch a person strip, they should at least recognize the difference between “adult entertainment” and a dance with strong cultural ties designed to celebrate heritage and inspire bodacious fun.

Sean Simon

Sean Simon is an Editorial News Senior Fellow at Law Street, and a senior at The George Washington University, studying Communications and Psychology. In his spare time, he loves exploring D.C. restaurants, solving crossword puzzles, and watching sad foreign films. Contact Sean at SSimon@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post You Can’t Drink and Watch Someone Twerk in Mississippi appeared first on Law Street.

Happy Monday, everyone! While you catch up on your Monday workload, check out the best stories from last week below:

1. Beyoncé’s Super Bowl Performance Causes Political Backlash

Until now, I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to dislike Beyoncé. Yet somehow the internet proved me wrong this week when someone created the hashtag#BoycottBeyonce to bash Bey for performing her pro-black anthem “Formation” during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show. Check out Alexis’s full take here.

2. Carly Fiorina Earned Money from Company that Uses Aborted Fetal Stem Cells

Republican presidential candidate and outspoken opponent of abortion, Carly Fiorina, reportedly benefitted financially while on the board for a company producing vaccines using fetal stem cells taken from aborted fetuses, according to corporate documents obtained by Al Jazeera America. Read the full article here.

3. Should States Lower the Tampon Tax?

This week the debate over the tampon tax has made its way to my favorite state–that’s right folks, we’re back to talking about Utah again! The discussion about the feminine tax has recently come into the national spotlight as several states (including Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New Jersey) have gotten rid of taxes on feminine hygiene products altogether. This is a step in the right direction as far as stopping taxes on necessary items goes. Check it out here.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Until now, I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to dislike Beyoncé. Yet somehow the internet proved me wrong this week when someone created the hashtag #BoycottBeyonce to bash Bey for performing her pro-black anthem “Formation” during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show.

In order to explain this bizarre and apocalyptic turn of events, lets start at the beginning.

On Saturday, in true Queen Bee fashion, Beyoncé quietly released her newest single “Formation” and its accompanying music video without any warning, and she literally broke the internet (during Black History Month no less.) In the song’s music video Beyoncé is unapologetically black, celebrating her culture and daughter’s natural hair, while also reminding us of Hurricane Katrina, #BlackLivesMatter, and black people’s growing distrust for police.

Then on Sunday, Beyoncé performed the new song live for millions of fans in a Black Panther themed Super Bowl halftime performance, before announcing an upcoming “Formation” world tour.

Watch Beyoncé’s Halftime Performance Below.

The performance left little room for misinterpretation, which angered some who apparently had hoped for “less political” musical entertainment. People (primarily haters) began using the hashtag #BoycottBeyonce to voice their disapproval for the “less than wholesome entertainment” and Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani attacked her performance saying, 

This is football, not Hollywood, and I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers who are the people who protect her and protect us and keep us alive

The Bee Hive was quick to come to their queen’s defense, calling out critics on social media.

#BoycottBeyonce = I wish black people would just entertain me instead of standing up for #BlackLivesMatter + being proud of their culture. — jen miller (@jenerallyspeaks) February 9, 2016

Beyoncé tried to break racial barriers and speak out about crime on her culture. And instead you come up with #BoycottBeyoncé

— KOOL KID (@OshaneBlackwin) February 9, 2016

When she sang about Single Ladies, you were all hailing her as a queen, but now that she’s singing about being black it’s #BoycottBeyonce?

— no one (@Fenetta) February 9, 2016

But was Beyonce really wrong for using the Super Bowl platform to spread her message? Tell us what you think and cast your vote below!

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Beyoncé’s Super Bowl Performance Causes Political Backlash appeared first on Law Street.

Is Beyonce leaving Jay Z’s Tidal? What did a family’s massive charity actually spend its money on? ICYMI, check out the best of the week from Law Street.

#1 Music Streaming Site Tidal Could Be Losing Its Queen

Here’s an update for my music lovers on Jay Z’s new Spotify-esque streaming site Tidal. As expected, the $20 a month service isn’t exactly revolutionizing the music industry like Hov and his famous friends had hoped. Despite boasts that they pay the highest percentage of royalties to music artists and songwriters within the music-streaming market, Tidal still continues to face waves of criticism from music experts and other artists. Read full article here.

#2 The Best Legal Tweets of the Week

The excitement over finals and the latest round of bar exam results has died down and now lawyers and law students are back to the daily grind of being overworked and over-caffeinated. Check out the best legal tweets of the week. See the slideshow here.

#3 Your Donation to This Cancer “Charity” Funded Online Dating Subscriptions

Every few years, a scandal breaks where it is discovered that a charity isn’t donating as much as it claims of the funds that it raises. But a new story coming out of Tennessee puts pretty much any other misbehaving charity to shame. A civil complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that four related charities, all run by members of the same extended family, donated only three percent of the $187 million they raised from 2008-2012. The rest of the money went to items for the family. Read full article here.

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Yes, you read the title right. Incorporating elements of pop culture, like “Breaking Bad,” into the classroom has become a popular new trend for undergraduate and graduate schools looking to engage their students. Schools such as the University of New Mexico have begun using pop culture case studies as instructional tools, while others major universities including Rutgers, the University of South Carolina, UC Berkeley, and Georgetown have opted to design courses dedicated entirely to singers, movies, television shows, sports, and other celebrities.

Have you ever considered the legal ramifications that fictional meth producers Walter White and Jesse Pinkman would have faced in the real world, as well as the questionable legal practices of defense attorney, Saul Goodman? A class at the University of New Mexico Law School analyzed the legal issues surrounding this popular television show and published their findings in a student-run journal for the school.

From The New Mexico Law Review “Breaking Bad” edition. http://t.co/xSmSg84ONg pic.twitter.com/1gYrz12VQy

— Ed Bott (@edbott) May 20, 2015

The students of this criminal law class, as well as the other contributing professors who helped to create this journal, found a multitude of legal issues within “Breaking Bad.” They discovered the actions of the show’s DEA agents to be controversial in certain instances and obviously illegal at other times, and yet these fictional agents were never stopped or questioned.

Saul’s practices as a lawyer are very shady and illegal, as he is known for laundering money to drug lords and going beyond his legal reach. When examining how Walter would likely be prosecuted, the students concluded that he would most likely receive a harsh sentience but avoid the death penalty in real life since the practice is no longer used in the state of New Mexico. While this show was very entertaining for viewers, it was not always realistic due to the exaggerated and felonious actions of most of the characters.

Other universities have chosen to create classes entirely pop-culture themed. At the University of New Hampshire, a class was created to analyze Deflategate–the recent scandal where the New England Patriots football team was accused of deflating its footballs before a game–as well as other sporting events and how they relate to the legal system. UCLA Law School has also joined in on this trend with a course called Law and Pop Culture, where students are assigned the task of watching popular television shows or films relating to the legal system, including lawyers, the criminal justice system, and the jury, which they will later apply to their coursework.

There are also many options available for undergraduate students who are interested in learning about their favorite pop-culture subjects. Famous singers such as Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Beyonce now all have classes devoted to them and studying their fame, allowing students to draw connections to subjects like sociology and philosophy.

According to the Mother Nature Network (MNM), movies such as Harry Potter, Spiderman, and Star Trek are all subjects of classes analyzing the popular franchises. MNM also noted that many popular television shows have become the core focus of several college classes throughout the country, such as The Simpsons, Judge Judy, and Days of Our Lives.

Times are changing, and as a result universities are beginning to recognize that in order to better accommodate and attract students to their schools, they have to vary their course offerings. No matter what you are interested in, there is probably a course out there that would appeal to you. Comparing core principles of classes to new themes could actually be a very effective way of maintaining students’ attention, as well as give them new ways to better comprehend course material.

What topics would YOU like to see being incorporated into your classes?

Toni Keddell

Toni Keddell is a member of the University of Maryland Class of 2017 and a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer of 2015. Contact Toni at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Law School Uses AMC’s ‘Breaking Bad’ as Teaching Tool appeared first on Law Street.

Here’s an update for my music lovers on Jay Z’s new Spotify-esque streaming site Tidal. As expected, the $20 a month service isn’t exactly revolutionizing the music industry like Hov and his famous friends had hoped.

Despite boasts that they pay the highest percentage of royalties to music artists and songwriters within the music-streaming market, Tidal still continues to face waves of criticism from music experts and other artists. However, none of that compares to the potential embarrassment Tidal may face if Jay Z’s wife and co-owner Beyoncé is forced by Sony to remove her music.

In an extensive look at Tidal’s shortcomings by Bloomberg Businessweek, writer Devin Leonard calls the service “a complete disaster,” highlighting one huge problem threatening Tidal’s future. After a PR blunder ruined financial backing talks with Sprint, Tidal was short on the cash it needed to pay hefty royalty requests from Sony and Warner.

Leonard writes,

When [Jay Z] acquired Aspiro, the change of ownership meant he had to renegotiate its streaming contracts with the three major record companies: Universal, Warner, and Sony Music Entertainment. Universal distributes the records of some of Roc Nation’s artists, so Jay Z was able to quickly reach an agreement with that company. But music industry people who are familiar with the negotiations and forbidden from discussing them publicly say that Sony and Warner are asking Tidal for large advances in return for the right to feature their artists’ catalogs.

If Jay Z can’t come up with the cash for Sony, he faces the possibility that Tidal might lose albums from some of its co-owners, most painfully Beyoncé, a Sony artist.

Not Beyoncé! Of the 15 mega stars sharing the stage during Tidal’s illuminati-worthy launch, Beyoncé and her promised Tidal-exclusive content (i.e. “Feeling Myself” music video ft. Nicki Minaj) was one of the bigger selling points for people asking themselves “why pay.”

But would Sony really pull all of Beyoncé’s music catalogue from her own company? Well it wouldn’t be a first for the music industry giant, which recently removed artists including Adele, Hozier, and Miguel from SoundCloud due to a similar licensing impasse.

Another big issue threatening the fate of Tidal is its user base. Tidal advertises having 900,000 users, but analysts who spoke with Bloomberg suspect that many of them signed up for free trials and will cancel when they have to start paying.

All in all it’s not a good look for Jay Z if he loses his wife’s music or if he loses the majority of his users after their free trials expire. Despite having shown an affinity for business in other pursuits including a highly successful clothing line and record label, Jay Z might be drowning with Tidal.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Music Streaming Site Tidal Could Be Losing Its Queen appeared first on Law Street.

Jay Z’s “Decoded” ghostwriter may need to work on her discretion after spilling some of the Carters’ philanthropic secrets publicly via Twitter. The ghostwriter, dream hampton, is a writer, award-winning filmmaker, and social justice organizer active in the Black Lives Matter movement. According to hampton, Jay Z and Beyoncé shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to bail out jailed protesters in Baltimore and Ferguson, but had requested their charitable actions be kept under wraps.

In a string of tweets posted Sunday that have now been deleted (but were screenshot by Complex) hampton wrote,

I’m going to tweet this and I don’t care if Jay gets mad

When we needed money for bail for Baltimore protestors, I asked hit Jay up, as I had for Ferguson , wired tens of thousands in mins.

When BLM needed infrastructure money for the many chapters that we’re growing like beautiful dandelions, Carters wrote a huge check.

…and more stuff, too much to list actually, that they always insist folk keep quiet.

Later that night, hampton went on to clarify her tweets which she later called “error ridden,” writing:

Jay & B for stacks. It’s true they gave, which is why I tweeted it. but I erased it within minutes, because ppl believe what they want to.

— dream hampton (@dreamhampton) May 18, 2015

ok, let me give password back to my assistant. Just came on here to say I was not in some foxhole texting Jay & B for bail money.

— dream hampton (@dreamhampton) May 18, 2015

They gave cuz that’s what they do. & should I ever get major bread, I’m gonna be Howard Hughes, wiring out money anonymously too

— dream hampton (@dreamhampton) May 18, 2015

Hampton’s honesty may have been motivated by critics consistently condemning the Carters for not speaking out publicly after the deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, which resulted in protests from thousands in Ferguson and Baltimore. In actuality the notoriously private couple, whose combined net worth is estimated at over $1 billion, had quietly been active with their contributions, which in many ways says a lot about their generosity.

Bankrolling bail money isn’t the only contribution the Carters have made to the Black Lives Matter movement. According to Billboard, Jay Z also reportedly helped smuggle in “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts to players at a December Brooklyn Nets game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that same month met with New York governor Andrew Cuomo to discuss possible reforms for the justice system.

Jay Z and Beyoncé’s reps have neither confirmed nor denied these rumored contributions, but they may not be too happy with their loose lipped associate. She may also be in a bit of trouble, as she’s now notifying everyone with her Twitter bio that she is on hiatus.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Jay Z and Beyonce: Secret Activists? appeared first on Law Street.

How would you feel about a music streaming service with CD quality sound, video and editorial content, full offline capabilities, and exclusive tracks from your favorite artists? Sounds amazing, right? But is it worth ditching your free Spotify account for a $20-a-month fee? Rapper and business mogul Jay Z thinks that it is, and has enlisted a crew of Illuminati grade artists to back him.

The new music streaming website Tidal, also known as TidalHiFi, promises to revolutionize the music industry by becoming the first “artist owned” music streaming platform of its kind. That sounds like a great way to solve some of the problems artists have with the music industry, like getting next to nothing for music royalties. But it’s not solving a problem for consumers–it’s creating one. Tidal subscriptions will end up costing listeners $20 for high-definition streaming and $10 for regular quality, with no free ad-supported option.

The fact of the matter is that music listeners don’t want to pay for music, especially when they can easily get it for free. Spotify, which is the current leader in online streaming, attempted to solve that problem by starting out with a free ad tier in its service that allows listeners to enjoy their music mixed with ads first before deciding whether or not to upgrade to the premium benefits of its subscription version, which costs $10. That worked for Spotify, but with no free version to entice listeners, convincing anyone to pony up $20 for Tidal is a tough sell.

One thing Tidal does have working for it is a list of top names in the music industry invested in it, including Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Daft Punk, Rihanna, Kanye West, Madonna, Alicia Keys, and Taylor Swift. Convincing Swift to come back to online streaming is impressive, especially after the singer famously broke up with Spotify last year over a disagreement with how artists on the site are compensated. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, she stated “valuable things should be paid for.” Tidal’s plan to offer a few exclusive tracks is nice, but still not a huge selling point. If Tidal were somehow able to make it so people could only listen to music from these artists on its site, they would really be getting somewhere.

You can watch some of the platform’s celebrity supporters below in Tidal’s press conference:

Not every artist supports the new platform. Singer Lily Allen was pretty vocal about her apprehension by voicing her first impressions of the site in a series of tweets that posed some valid concerns. Allen writes:

i LOVE Jay z so much, but TIDAL is soon expensive compared to other perfectly good streaming services, he’s taken the biggest Artists

— lily (@lilyallen) March 30, 2015

made them exclusive to TIDAL (am i right in thinking this ?), people are going to swarm back to Pirate sites in droves

— lily (@lilyallen) March 30, 2015

sending traffic to torrent sites. up and coming (not yet millionaires) artists are going to suffer as a result.

— lily (@lilyallen) March 31, 2015

Making content exclusive to Tidal may in fact push people only interested in hearing these artists’ music for free back to pirating sites as an alternative, which would make all artists suffer. While Jay Z’s idea sounds cool, I’m not convinced it will somehow revolutionize the music industry. A greater quality music experience is definitely something to strive for, but it’s also important to keep in mind consumers’ desires and not just artists’ pockets.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Tidal: Music Industry Revolution or Expensive Setback? appeared first on Law Street.

There’s a new weird feud in the political sphere. This time it’s between Governor Mike Huckabee–former and possibly future Republican Presidential hopeful–and people who like Beyoncé.

In his new book, Huckabee had a few things to say about Jay Z and Beyoncé’s performance at the 2014 Grammys. He stated:

My reaction: Why? Beyoncé is incredibly talented — gifted, in fact. She has an exceptional set of pipes and can actually sing. She is a terrific dancer — without the explicit moves best left for the privacy of her bedroom. Jay Z is a very shrewd businessman, but I wonder: Does it occur to him that he is arguably crossing the line from husband to pimp by exploiting his wife as a sex object?

Then, last week, Huckabee took his comments further and slammed the Obamas for letting Malia and Sasha listen to Beyoncé. In an interview about his new book, in which he calls Beyoncé’s music “mental poison,” he said:

I don’t understand how on one hand they can be such doting parents and so careful about the intake of everything – how much broccoli they eat and where they go to school and making sure they’re kind of sheltered and shielded from so many things – and yet they don’t see anything that might not be suitable for either a preteen or a teen in some of the lyrical content and choreography of Beyoncé, who has sort of a regular key to the door [of the White House].

Then, Jimmy Carter weighed in, because apparently we now listen to his take on parenting? He said that he thinks President Obama is doing a good job parenting his two daughters. The fact that he got involved in this whole controversy seems more odd than anything else.

Back to Huckabee though. Some people have pointed out that he is being a little hypocritical given his close ties to constant provocateur Ted Nugent, whose lyrics are often a bit off-color.

Jon Stewart had Huckabee on his show, and the whole Beyoncé-hating thing came up; he actually illustrated the Nugent point quite well in addition.

The clip is below, but highlights include Huckabee basically saying that Beyoncé makes girls want to grow up and get on stripper poles. And in response to the Nugent juxtaposition, Huckabee claims that the song in question wasn’t as popular as Beyoncé’s, nor as widely and publicly performed, and that it was created for adults. While it’s fair that Nugent is less of a prominent figure, to be sure, that argument seems semantical at best. Huckabee has had him on his show and promoted him. It seems tough to argue that he’s such a niche performer that we can’t compare his lyrics to Beyoncé’s. At the end, Stewart’s main point appears to be that Huckabee doesn’t like Beyoncé because she’s not part of the culture that Huckabee is used to, whereas Nugent’s values line up more clearly with Huckabee’s own. Stewart stated: “You can’t single out a corrosive culture and ignore the one that you live in because you’re used to it.”

It really does seem like a case of Huckabee severely simplifying a lot of what Beyoncé’s music is about. While she has some more risqué lyrics, many are about love, power, and feminism. No one is a perfect role model, but she’s better than most.

Also, Huckabee should watch out. The Beygency (the very real group dedicated to taking down those who don’t love Beyoncé) could come after him.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post New Political Parties: Huckabee vs. Everyone Who Likes Beyoncé appeared first on Law Street.

It’s no secret that feminism became a huge talking point in the news and on the web this year. More than ever before, we saw women standing up for themselves and calling out the bullshit that is gender inequality. We still have more to do, but let’s just take a moment to appreciate the progress that was made this year thanks to some amazing women–and men–who took up the feminist mantle.

#YesAllWomen

In May, after 22-year-old Elliot Rodger went on a killing spree in California blaming women for rejecting him sexually, women and men took to Twitter, using the hashtag #YesAllWomen to share stories of misogyny they have experienced.

Because my hormones make me an ineffective leader and a man’s hormones absolve him of rape #yesallwomen

— Tessa (@TessaKerlin) May 27, 2014

There’s not a woman I know who wouldn’t fight for a man who was being denied equality & freedom. #YesAllWomen — Muriel B (@QuiltingMuriel) May 27, 2014

No, #NotAllMen are violent against women, but #YesAllWomen have to navigate a world where those who are look the same as those who aren’t.

— Karin Robinson (@karinjr) May 25, 2014

Because every single woman I know has a story about a man feeling entitled to access to her body. Every. Single. One. #YesAllWomen — Emily (@emilyhughes) May 24, 2014

“I have a boyfriend” is the easiest way to get a man to leave you alone. Because he respects another man more than you. #yesallwomen

— Juliet Bennett Rylah (@JBRylah) May 25, 2014

I shouldn’t have to hold my car keys in hand like a weapon & check over my shoulder every few seconds when I walk at night #YesAllWomen — Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) May 25, 2014

The hashtag received several hundred tweets a second, and just four days after its inception had reached over 1.2 million tweets. It is still going strong, and the solidarity shown by the men and women in the face of sexism and misogyny reached further than most attempts previously.

Calling out catcallers became an internet phenomenon

After one woman’s Cards Against Harassment campaign went viral on YouTube, catcalling became a much-discussed issue on the internet.

The debate centered around whether or not catcallers were being complimentary, and if women should just ignore it. Short answer: street harassment is harassment, and is not a compliment.

Later in the year, a woman walked around Manhattan for ten hours to record the catcalls she received during the day.

Which of course, prompted misogynists everywhere to focus on justifying the behavior of the men in the video, not the woman receiving the harassment. This video too, went viral, and currently has just shy of 40 million views on YouTube.

The media response included a debate on CNN, where the man in the video tries to justify the employment of catcalling. This video also circulated the web after he is completely shut down for his misogynistic views.

Hopefully the women at CNN taught men everywhere something with their debate. Women are speaking up and out against harassment from strangers, but the fight is long from over.

Beyonce’s Feminist Performance

Millions watched the MTV Video Music Awards this year, where Beyonce literally lit up the stage with her feminism. She showed women everywhere that you can be proud of your sexuality, be a wife, a mother, dance sexy, and be famous while still calling yourself a feminist. She did it all while broadcasting one of my favorite feminist quotes of all time:

We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man…Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political, economic equality of the sexes.

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Whether you like her music or not, it cannot be denied that Beyonce is at the forefront of feminist celebrities fighting for the cause.

Emma Watson’s UN Speech

Another feminist celebrity, who was named by the Ms. Foundation as the Top Celebrity Feminist of 2014, is Emma Watson. As an ambassador for the United Nations, the former Harry Potter star shook up the world with her speech on gender equality.

She called men and women to action, detailing how it is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of gender, to seek equality for both sexes. She stated, “both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong.”

Male feminists on the rise

They have always existed, sometimes silently supporting the rise of feminism in the 21st century, but the year 2014 saw even more men joining their female counterparts in vocalizing their discontent with society. Even more men took their cues from celebrity male feminists like Joseph Gordon Levitt and Aziz Ansari, who proudly wore the title of feminist while explaining to men everywhere why it just makes sense for men to support gender equality. If you think men and women should have equal rights, you’re a feminist.

The number of women in Congress shot up

For the first time in American history, there are over 100 women in Congress. Yes, it still makes up less than one-fifth of the seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, but that record breaking triple-digit number is extremely encouraging. We are still a ways off from having the 50/50 ratio that would represent the United States population, but the fact that so many women were elected this year gives us evidence that times are changing.

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post 2014: The Year of Feminism appeared first on Law Street.

Beyoncé and Jay Z just received some probably upsetting news–they’re being sued. A Hungarian folk singer, Mitsou, or Mónika Juhász Miczura, is claiming that 29 percent of Drunk in Love uses her music. Artist Timbaland is also being sued, given that he co-produced the power couple’s song. Watch the video below to hear the song in question.

Do you hear that sort of high-pitched singing in the background, particularly for the first 30 seconds or so? Mitsou is claiming that’s her, and was part of a song she recorded with her folk band Ando Drom. She claims that it’s been edited and altered, but it is still her voice. In addition, she claims that overall, her vocals and music feature on roughly one-and-a-half minutes of a five-and-a-half minute song–or just under thirty percent. According to E! here is what Mitsou claims is the actual breakdown:

Mitsou claims ‘Drunk in Love’ begins with her voice singing an a cappella solo for the first 13 seconds of the song. After this introduction, she purports that her ‘voice continues to sing as Beyoncé begins to sing’—up until the 41 second mark. Mitsou states that her vocals join Jay Z when he raps in the song from 3:14 until 4:05, a total of 51 seconds

The song that Beyoncé, Jay Z, and Timbaland supposedly took from is entitled “Bajba, Bajba Pelem.” The song was also released in the United States in 1996, under the English name “Gypsy Life on the Road.” That song doesn’t appear to be available anywhere online, but here is a song by her band with an almost identical title, and definitely sounds very similar to my admittedly very untrained ear.

It’s not just the fact that her voice may have been stolen by Beyoncé and Jay Z that offends Mitsou. It’s also the way in which her music was allegedly used. The original Hungarian song was described by Mitsou as evocative of “hopelessness, when one can no longer trust anyone but her own mother and God.” Beyoncé’s Drunk in Love is certainly about a significantly different topic–sexual relationships between long-term partners. Mitsou also purportedly has issues regarding how her song was used to provide sort of an exotic background noise for Beyoncé’s music.

The suit argues that the use of Mitsou’s music was a copyright infringement, and it was filed last week in a Manhattan Supreme Court. It asks for unspecified damages. It also asks for the song to stop being distributed, but given that the album on which Drunk in Love appeared was the fastest-selling album on iTunes–ever–and sold five million copies worldwide, I doubt it’ll slow down the spread of the song. And that’s not even including all the times (presumably a ton) that the song was illegally downloaded.

Beyoncé, Jay Z, and Timbaland are nowhere close to being the first artists to be accused of infringing copyright; however, we’ll have to wait and see who ends up being right.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Beyoncé and Jay Z Sued Over Song “Drunk in Love” appeared first on Law Street.

In case you hadn’t heard from the overwhelming amount of posts dedicated to them, the MTV Video Music Awards happened on Sunday. I, along with millions of other pop-culture followers, tuned in to watch the usual shenanigans of the music industry’s most famous and most notorious. As predicted, there was twerking, flashy costumes, lip-syncing, wardrobe malfunctions, laughter, tears, tripping, and Moonmen. Basically: all the things that forever have me questioning why I watch this nonsense in the first place.

But then, two things of note happened. The first, out of all the unlikely sources, came from the Artist Formerly Known as Hannah Montana.

Yes!

When her name was announced as the winner of Video of the Year (for “Wrecking Ball”, naturally), Miley Cyrus sent up a man named Jesse in her stead. Jesse took out some cards and began speaking. What followed was surprising and heart-wrenching:

“My name is Jesse and I’m accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth who are starving, lost, and scared right now. I know this because I am one of these people.”

Visibly nervous, Jesse went on to explain, through constant cheers from the audience, how you could go to Miley’s Facebook page and donate money to help homeless youth in America. I was extremely impressed with this gesture from Miley, as she is now utilizing her substantial fan base to raise awareness and funds for an important cause.

Well done, Miley!

The VMAs were far from done, though. Before the night was through, another celebrity chose to use her VMA performance as a loudspeaker for one of my favorite subjects: feminism. Enter Beyonce.

Courtesy of beyoncegifs.tumblr.com

 Like every Beyonce performance ever, she had intense dance moves, sparkly costumes, and so-so vocals. But her music is not why we are here. No, THIS is why we are here:

Courtesy of beyoncegifs.tumblr.com

In a world where feminism is still (somehow) misunderstood, one of the most popular musicians of our generation declared herself a feminist. That’s not all. Before lighting up “FEMINIST” in big letters, we heard the words of Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:

“We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man…Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political, economic equality of the sexes.”

If you haven’t already, listen to the rest of this woman’s wise words. The entire speech can be watched here. Go ahead, watch. I’ll wait.

Done? Good.

So Beyonce not only declared herself a feminist, she defined what feminism truly is and did it in front of millions of viewers. I gave her a standing ovation right in my living room. Yet, in spite of all the truth she used her performance to convey, she is still getting negative feedback:

If Beyoncé is a feminist then I think it’s a very cheap and easy sort of feminism she’s flogging. Not really my thing.

— Billy Lunn (@billysubway) August 25, 2014

If Beyoncé has taught us anything, it’s that strip clubs need 10′ tall “FEMINIST” signs

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) August 26, 2014

Beyoncé, you’re not a feminist. You sing the lyrics “If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it”. That’s the opposite of feminism — Ryan Travers (@ryantravers) August 25, 2014

I couldn’t hear Beyonce’s #feminist statement @ #VMAs over the thong & glittered ass dance ensemble behind her. #ILikeBigButtsAnICannotLie

— Su Castillo (@snarkyzebra) August 27, 2014

Thanks to @Beyonce I learned tonight that requiring female back-up dancers to dry hump everything in sight is #Feminism. Empowering! #VMA

— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) August 25, 2014

why can’t Beyoncé make her mind between feminism and female objectification though — Matt Gehring (@mattygehrbear) August 25, 2014

See anything wrong with these? You should. All of them perpetuate a view that someone can somehow demonstrate “incorrect” feminism or that they aren’t “feminist enough.” Really? When feminism’s definition was literally spelled out in front of you?

Just because someone dresses sexy, dances provocatively, or strips on a stripper pole does not mean they can’t be a feminist. Just because a woman is a stay-at-home mom, a Christian, or happily married, does not mean she can’t be a feminist. Feminism does not just encompass all women, it encompasses all people from all walks of life.

If you believe women should be given equal salaries to men in the same field: that’s a feminist ideal. If you believe a woman can be whatever she wants to be, like the President of the United States, or an exotic dancer, or a soccer mom: that’s a feminist ideal. If you think women are objectified in media and entertainment, so do feminists.

“Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political, economic equality of the sexes.”

How much clearer can you get? Beyonce performing sexually suggestive routines and songs does not mean she cannot call herself a feminist. Anyone who says otherwise is drawing attention away from the fact that she used her considerable influence to get across a feminist message. For that, we should applaud her. Luckily, most everywhere you look, praise for her VMA performance far outweighs the ridicule and misunderstanding. There is hope for humanity yet!

If nothing else, what should come out of both Beyonce’s and Miley’s demonstrations at this year’s VMAs are more celebrities supporting good causes. When they have such large followings, why wouldn’t they? So Beyonce, Miley: you two keep doing you.

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Beyonce’s Feminist Message Receives Praise…And Ridicule? appeared first on Law Street.

This week we saw the shocking, leaked video of Solange Knowles physically attacking brother in-law Jay Z while her sister, Beyoncé, looked on. I’ll admit that it’s natural to be entertained by celebrities misbehaving, but putting that element aside, where does surveillance and security end and privacy begin? Elevator cameras are installed for security purposes, but this is a prime example of how surveillance can be misused. We see cameras on buildings, inside elevators, and just about everywhere we go without questioning how that footage is being used, or perhaps misused. The common use of surveillance technology will continue to increase if left unchecked — especially in the law enforcement.

This increased acceptance of security surveillance has contributed to law enforcement taking new measures to monitor us all on a grander scale and for longer periods of time.  New surveillance technologies have emerged that allow local law enforcement to use special aircraft equipped with powerful cameras to capture and record real-time images over large amounts of space. Not only will these cameras record a broader area, they will also have the capability to record for longer lengths of time as compared to traditional camera-equipped helicopters.

These digital technologies are capable of motion detection and zoom of movement. This means no matter how far away a person is, his or her movement can be detected and observed more closely with the zoom capabilities. Persistent Surveillance Systems is one of the companies assisting local law enforcement with their missions to decrease crime and bring criminals to justice through the use of surveillance technology.

The Ohio-based company touts itself as a full-service, wide-area surveillance provider with experience in border control, law enforcement operations, and event security. Persistent Surveillance Systems even reached out to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and convinced it to use the technology to monitor the streets of Compton, with one big selling point being that this method is less expensive than using the police helicopters. LA County provides just one, though by no means is it the only, example of where this monitoring is employed.

It is unclear how successful Los Angeles’ use of this type of surveillance technology is  in an attempt to quell crime because no data has yet been released. What is clear, however, is that this technology is so expansive it isn’t limited to targeting criminals. The footage also includes law-abiding citizens carrying on the regular functions of their day. Some may argue that being constantly recorded isn’t troubling because they have nothing to hide, but where does the trade off of privacy for security end?

With little to no regulation of this technology and the dependence on private companies to provide this surveillance service, the possibility of misuse increases. There are many more questions than answers, but we must be aware of the possibilities and consequences of being constantly watched. We all have the right to privacy. How far are we willing to use our technological capabilities to impede that?

__

Teerah Goodrum (@AisleNotes), is a recent Graduate of Howard University with a concentration in Public Administration and Public Policy. Her time on Capitol Hill as a Science and Technology Legislative Assistant has given her insight into the tech community. In her spare time she enjoys visiting her favorite city, Seattle, and playing fantasy football.

Featured image courtesy of [idrewuk via Wikipedia]

Teerah Goodrum

Teerah Goodrum is a Graduate of Howard University with a Masters degree in Public Administration and Public Policy. Her time on Capitol Hill as a Science and Technology Legislative Assistant has given her insight into the tech community. In her spare time she enjoys visiting her favorite city, Seattle, and playing fantasy football. Contact Teerah at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post You and Beyonce Have Something in Common: Constant Surveillance appeared first on Law Street.

So, how many of you caught the Grammy Awards this weekend?

If you missed it, you should totally check out the recap post I wrote yesterday. It was a pretty epic night, complete with a weird Taylor Swift head banging incident and Daft Punk robot love.

But! The highlight of this year’s Grammys was definitely, without a doubt, Beyoncé and Jay Z’s “Drunk in Love” duet. It was so sexy. How sexy?

Dying over here.

Ridiculous amounts of sexy.

This performance isn’t notable just because all of us felt a universal need to go take a cold shower after watching it. As Alyssa Rosenberg points out on Think Progress, it’s also got a political edge to it.

Folks, Mr. and Mrs. Carter are proving that marriage can be awesome.

Now, I’ve written before about how the institution of marriage can be super problematic. It’s historically rooted in the buying and selling of women — complete with name changes to indicate the changing hands of property owners — and while it’s a different animal now here in the U.S., it’s still a source of major oppression. Spousal abuse and domestic violence still run rampant, women are still disproportionately responsible for the second or third shift of child rearing and housekeeping, and of course, there’s that nasty beast called monogamy. It’s got a shit reputation for making people feel trapped and unfulfilled — assuming they’re even sticking to it.

So, yeah. Marriage can be a bum deal. Which is why divorce rates are depressingly high, marriage rates are tellingly low, and movies like Runaway Bride are so goddamn relatable.

And that’s a problem for the political Right. They’d like to sell marriage all day — the heterosexual, monogamous kind, at least. For the conservatives, marriage is the ideal. The goal we’re all working toward. The bitter end.

But wait — isn’t that the Left’s view as well? Honestly, pretty much. One night stands and extended bachelorhood might be glorified on TV (Barney Stinson, anyone?), but really, even How I Met Your Mother’s ultimate single guy tied the knot eventually. Politically, the Left is all about marriage as well.

I mean, really, who are we kidding? The movement for gay rights has been a movement for gay marriage rights. Even the queers, who are supposed to be little unicorns of unconventional-relationship-forming light, are obsessed with marriage these days. It’s just reality.

So, when Jay Z and Beyoncé — two ridiculously hot, successful people who just happen to be married to one another — take the stage at the Grammys and give the single sexiest performance ever in the history of the world, we all have to sit up and pay attention.

Because it’s like a collective light bulb just went off. Aha! This is what marriage can look like.

Over at Think Progress, Alyssa argued that the Carters’ performance could be a major asset for the Right, if mobilized correctly. Conservatives could sell marriage licenses faster than hotcakes if they hired Bey and Jay to be their spokesmodels.

But I’d like to take it one step further. Sure, the Carters could sell a traditional marriage ideal for the Right — except, they don’t fit into it themselves. The conservative marriage model is dreary and Puritanical. It takes a Calvinist attitude to relationships — it’s hard work, and not much play. It’s a commitment between partners and helpmates, not so much a joyful companionship.

And I’m sorry, but who really wants in on that? Not Beyoncé and Jay Z. Definitely not.

So, instead of serving as a sales pitch for the political Right, I think the Carters are offering a radical redefinition of marriage.

Here are two people who have actual fun together. Who respect each other. Who actively resist racist and sexist norms built into the marriage model. (Did you know that they both changed their names upon legalizing? Jay Z’s an awesome feminist husband and I love him.) These are two separate and independent people, and they’ve come together not because they need each other, but because they want one another.

This is a marriage that doesn’t look like work. It looks like fun.

So, with that, here’s the full video of Beyoncé and Jay Z totally owning the Grammys.

Now that’s a marriage I wouldn’t mind being in.

—

Hannah R. Winsten (@HannahRWinsten) is a freelance copywriter, marketing consultant, and blogger living in New York’s sixth borough. She hates tweeting but does it anyway. She aspires to be the next Rachel Maddow.

Featured image courtesy of [idrewuk via Flickr]

Hannah R. Winsten

Hannah R. Winsten is a freelance copywriter, marketing consultant, and blogger living in New York’s sixth borough. She hates tweeting but does it anyway. She aspires to be the next Rachel Maddow. Contact Hannah at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Beyoncé and Jay Z Did Some Feminist Marriage Queering at the Grammys appeared first on Law Street.

We’re So Much More than Pointless Fixtures*

[Prelude: I wrote this first paragraph back in August and haven’t had anywhere to place it, until now]. I recently attended the Made in America Festival in Philadelphia, a 2-day celebration of music curated by the rapper Jay-Z, with artists spanning several genres of music performing on three different stages. The experience was unforgettable, especially because I was introduced to many artists who, through their live performances, made me an instant fan. The highlight, though, was the end of Day one when Beyoncé headlined. The performance was phenomenal, from beginning to end, which was to be expected. Roughly three weeks before the festival, I met someone who had attended the D.C. stop of the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. I asked her how the concert was, and she described it as “truly phenomenal, [because you get] to see a talented woman at the top of her game doing what she was put on this earth to do.”

Since I entered law school, and even more so since I’ve left, I have been trying to figure out what it is I’m supposed to do with my life. More importantly, trying to figure out how to be the best at something like Beyoncé.

Are you happy with yourself? 

First things first: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter released her fifth album, Beyoncé, last week.  The album came out with no official single, no promotion, no announcement, and no advanced warning. The entire roll out was surprising and amazing. (If you’re interested, the album itself is also really good. Buy it.)

Anyway, the release of the album, and Beyoncé’s “Strategy” for 2013 has a lot of lessons.

The most important thing that I’ve learned in the last six days? Let your work speak for itself. Since before the Super Bowl, I’ve been wondering when she was going to release a new song and reassert her musical dominance. In various interviews she alluded to the fact that she was working on her art on her time, and that those of us who didn’t get it would need to wait.

And wait we did, but it wasn’t easy. I can’t speak for all of her fans, but I grew frustrated. Tired. Annoyed. I eventually got over her and settled on music from artists I neither liked nor really enjoyed.

Does this sound…familiar?

But Nothing I Know Could Slow Us Down

It should, because my exasperation with the wait for this album directly correlates with the struggle that is life after law school graduation. Stick with me, and I promise it will make sense. And if not, at least I found a way to sneak Beyonce on to Law Street.  

The Anticipation

• February 2013: Beyoncé performs at the Super Bowl. Kills it.
• May 2013: We graduate from law school.  We kill it.

Preparation

• April 2013: After two months of intense rehearsals and preparation, Beyoncé embarks on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.
• July 2013: After two months of intense studying and preparation, we take the bar exam.

Waiting

• September 2013: The world tour goes on a short hiatus, which has many thinking that a new single is coming!
• October-November 2013: Thousands of recent graduates await the results of the oppressively heinous bar exam. The results come out around Halloween; many students are happy, many are pissed.

Rejoice

• December 13, 2013, 12:00am EST: The link to buy BEYONCÉ on iTunes pops up out of nowhere. Christmas miracle much?
• December 2013-January 2014: Recent law school graduates are beginning to see the light.  Jobs are coming, our real careers are beginning, and 2014 is right around the corner.

“I Woke Up Like This” 

Here’s the thing. I will let anyone know that 2013 has been a difficult year. I’ve done my best to be upbeat, and I’ve optimistically claimed 2014 as “the greatest year of my life thus far” (I’m speaking it into existence).

Beezy taught me

Beyonce’s lessons teach me that I don’t need to tell everyone about 2014. Instead, I need to let it be what it will be: an overall good year. All it takes is a lot of hard work, determination, positivity, productivity, and avoiding the downer moments that seemed to permeate these last twelve months. I can do it! We can do it! 2014 is THE year everyone, I feel it.

And thanks to Beyoncé, we’ve got a BANGIN soundtrack to what will be an awesome year.

Bow down. All hail King Bey. She loves you like XO.

*Can you name all of the BEYONCÉ lyrical references?

—

Peter Davidson is a recent graduate of law school who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Tweet him @PeterDavidsonII.

Featured image courtesy of [idrewuk via Flickr]

[All .gifs courtesy of MTV Buzzworthy and RealityTVgifs]

Peter Davidson II

Peter Davidson is a recent law school graduate who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Contact Peter at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Stop Making a Big Deal Out of the Little Things appeared first on Law Street.