A 32-year-old producer has filed a $200 million lawsuit against Beyonce Knowles, her father and fellow members of Destiny’s Child, alleging they stole his music for the hit song “Survivor.”
Terrence “T-Robb” Robinson, a Miami-based producer, claims he produced a song called “Glorious” in June 2000 and provided it to Mathew Knowles, Beyonce’s father and manager, later that year.
Robinson’s lawyer, Peter J. Clarke, claims the producer later heard the song used in a commercial, without his permission. Robinson said the song would have been his big break in the music industry.
“I know right now I would be one of the biggest, most sought-after producers,” he said at a news conference Tuesday.
Beyonce Knowles’ lawyer, Thomas Sulkerson, said he had not yet seen the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Houston on Oct. 14.
But he said Destiny’s Child filed a lawsuit on Oct. 2 against Robinson, his lawyer and a consulting company claiming libel, fraud and breach of contract.
This is the third lawsuit related to the “Survivor” song, Mathew Knowles said.
“Three people have said they have either written or did the music or the lyrics were against them,” he said. “So somebody has got to be lying.”
Knowles said he hadn’t heard of Robinson until three weeks ago, when he told Robinson he had nothing to do with the track. He said Destiny’s Child wrote the lyrics and left the track’s production to State of Mind Muzic producer Anthony Dent.
“Survivor” was the title of Destiny’s Child’s 2001 album, which sold millions of copies. The title song was a No. 2 hit that year and earned the group a Grammy in 2002 for best R&B performance.
Clarke admitted that when Robinson provided Mathew Knowles with his song, it was not copyrighted but a copyright was later secured.
In addition to Houston-based Destiny’s Child, whose members include Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, the lawsuit also names Sony Music Entertainment, Columbia Records, Music World Entertainment and State of Mind Muzic, Inc.
Sony Music and Columbia Records did not have an immediate response to the Oct. 14 lawsuit, nor did a management company for State of Mind Muzic.
Last year, two former members of the group sued Destiny’s Child, claiming the song included derisive comments about them. The lawsuit was later settled.