Brick & Lace, the sister duo made up of Nyanda and Nyla Thorbourne, are calling out Sean Paul and Will Smith for allegedly copying their flow for a track on the “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” soundtrack released by Sony Music in June 7, 2024. Sean Paul has two singles on the soundtrack: “Light Em Up” with Will Smith and “Bad Boys” with Trueno. The sisters contend that “Light Em Up” bears similarities to “Light It Up (Remix)” by Major Lazer (feat. Nyla and Fuse ODG) from Major Lazer’s third studio album, “Peace Is the Mission.”
Multi-Platinum singer Nyla took to social media on Monday to address the issue: “Hey guys, as it turns out, I am getting some heat on social media about a post that I made yesterday about some similarities in the song with Will Smith and Sean Paul and the Major Lazer, Nyla, Fuse, ODG ‘Light It Up’ song.”
The Love IS Wicked singer elaborated on her concerns: “I just want to say as a writer and as a creator, when you hear similarities and not just one similarity, one the title, two the cadence, the rhythm, how it’s positioned in the song, it kinda picks your ear and you say, ‘Well, that seems to be inspired by a song that you wrote previously.'”
Thorbourne acknowledged the complexities of the music industry: “Music is shared in the industry, especially if you’re signed to the same label. There are all these inner workings and behind-the-scenes situations that the lay person will not be privy to.”
She clarified that she doesn’t blame Sean Paul directly: “Am I saying our beloved Sean Paul was the person? I don’t think so. I think Sean Paul just did his verse as they asked him to.”
In the video posted on Instagram Nyla also added in the caption, “I am a creator and contributor to the Jamaican music industry and the music that has come out of Jamaica and done well internationally not just as an individual but with my sister as well . I think it is the right of every creator to express their feelings when it comes to their work and if they think it has inspired other works. ”
“Light It Up (Remix)” was released as a single on November 5, 2015, and achieved Platinum status on March 1, 2017. The EDM-Afrobeats-Dancehall fusion track was later certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 15, 2021, for sales and streams totaling 2 million units in the U.S. Additionally, it has been certified 3x Platinum in the United Kingdom (1,800,000 units), Denmark (180,000 units), and Belgium (40,000 units). In Spain, it reached 3x Platinum (120,000 units), and in Italy, it achieved 5x Platinum (250,000 units).
“Light It Up” debuted at No. 98 and peaked at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK Singles chart, it reached No. 7. This track remains the highest-charting song to date for Nyla and Fuse ODG in the United States.
Nyanda, who is not featured on the song also voiced her support for her sister on social media, hinting at a legal resolution: “I just wanted to add my two cents. I know my sister had made a post about the latest song on the Bad Boys soundtrack. I think that there is a similarity, and I really heard it in the cadence and the melody. And what I just want to remind you guys is that, yes, this is our livelihood.”
She explained the creative process and her respect for Sean Paul: “As a writer, we can unconsciously use a melody that’s similar to somebody else’s song and not even know. As a writer also, we have a right to express it if we hear something. Sean Paul is a legend. We love and respect Sean Paul for everything he has done for our community.”
Nyanda concluded with a call for civility: “We don’t want to feel bullied, and people don’t need to be mean about it. At the end of the day, it’s up to the courts to decide.”
She tagged Sean Paul in her post and added the caption, “At the end of the day it’s up to the courts to decide. I don’t even know exactly how it works but writers have every right to express when they hear similarities between songs. He who feels it know it! And writers many times do get the 💩 end of the stick, so I can empathize with sis and I always try to defend what’s right.”
The Bad Boys: Ride Or Die Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is released by Columbia Pictures under exclusive license to Sony Classical, a label of Sony Music Entertainment.
The movie has surpassed worldwide sales of $104 million during its first box office weekend.
