Beyoncé's "Blue Ivy Carter" Trademark Case Heats Up As She's Accused Of Fraud

BY Erika Marie 50.0K Views
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This battle has been going on for years.

The Blue Ivy wedding planning business, run by a woman named Veronica Morales, has reportedly been in operation since 2009. Three years later, Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed their first born, Blue Ivy Carter, into the world, and in an effort to protect her name from being used for profit, Bey filed to procure the trademark rights to her moniker.

It didn't take long for Morales to bite back with claims that her business was around long before Blue Ivy was birthed, so she wants to stop the singer from obtaining any rights. In her court documents, she mentions an interview that Jay did with Vanity Fair where he spoke on the trademark petition.

"People wanted to make products based on our child’s name, and you don’t want anybody trying to benefit off your baby’s name," Jay told the publication back in 2013. "It wasn’t for us to do anything; as you see, we haven’t done anything. First of all, it’s a child, and it bothers me when there’s no [boundaries]. I come from the streets, and even in the most atrocious shit we were doing, we had lines: no kids, no mothers—there was respect there. But [now] there’s no boundaries. For somebody to say, This person had a kid—I’m gonna make a fuckin’ stroller with that kid’s name. It’s, like, where’s the humanity?"

The Blast reports that Morales has filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé, accusing the singer of fraud. According to Morales, when Bey filed for the Blue Ivy Carter trademark, she wrote that the name would be used for business. However, Morales notes that in Jay's interview, he suggested they wanted it only to protect their daughter's name. Morales believes that this indicates fraud as she also accuses Beyoncé of ignoring her court documents.

"When considered together, the admission to Vanity Fair and the refusal to respond to any discovery responses is sufficient evidence to conclude that the Applicant’s intent all along is exactly what Jay Z said: to use trademark applications to prevent others from using the name of their daughter. This is fraud on the USPTO," Morales states.

Earlier this year, Morales reportedly requested that text messages between Beyoncé, Jay Z, and Tina Knowles be turned over for examination. Morales wanted to know if the family members communicated about having any prior knowledge regarding the name Blue Ivy being used in any other businesses. However, correspondences weren't shared as Beyoncé's team reportedly believed confidential information could possibly be leaked to the public. Morales and Beyoncé's legal teams are set to face off in court.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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